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SERV PANIC <br /> United States Department of the Interior ter , <br /> NATIONAL PARK SERVICE <br /> "CPIS ' Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park <br /> 73-4786 Kanalani Street, # 14 <br /> Kailua-Kona,Hawai`i 96740 <br /> I\RE I'L 1 RI I-FR 10 <br /> I \2 <br /> June 21, 2024 <br /> Re: Update regarding Consultation for Inadvertent Discovery subject to the Native <br /> American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) 43 CFR Part 10 <br /> Aloha, <br /> The purpose of this letter is to update you regarding the inadvertent discovery of a possible <br /> human tooth by a visitor at Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park (Park). <br /> The National Park Service (NPS) was notified on Friday, February 23, 2024, that a Park <br /> visitor found a tooth at the surface of the sand beach near Kaloko Fishpond Picnic Area on <br /> Thursday, February 22, 2024. Rather than turning the tooth over to the NPS, the visitor <br /> contacted the Hawaii County Police Department (HPD) which took possession of the <br /> tooth. We requested that HPD transfer the tooth to the NPS immediately upon ruling out <br /> criminal involvement. <br /> After repeated requests for the transfer of the tooth from HPD, the NPS was informed the <br /> responding HPD officer determined it was not human and disposed of the tooth. <br /> The NPS received photos of the tooth from the Park visitor. The quality of the photos <br /> makes it difficult to determine if the tooth is human, although a trained osteologist <br /> indicated it may have indeed been human, possibly a baby molar. Because it was an <br /> isolated find with no direct context to an archeological site, the NPS cannot determine its <br /> age. <br /> This is not the outcome the NPS was expecting. We communicated the gravity of this <br /> error to the HPD. They have requested that the NPS provide training to patrol officers on <br /> the inadvertent discovery of human remains within national park units. As part of this <br /> training, the NPS will provide information to HPD on the importance and requirements of <br /> NAGPRA, including the use of trained professionals for the identification of human <br /> remains. <br /> We regret we were not able to make a positive determination about this tooth and treat it <br /> with the care required under federal law for human remains. <br />