03/25/23 – ENDANGERED FOREST BIRDS TO GET DEFENSE FROM AVIAN MALARIA ON MAUI
Posted on Mar 25, 2023 in BLNR, News Releases, slider
| JOSH GREEN, M.D. GUV |
DAWN CHANG |
For Immediate Release: March 25, 2023
ENDANGERED FOREST BIRDS TO GET DEFENSE FROM AVIAN MALARIA ON MAUI
Plans to fight intrusive mosquitoes offers expect beleaguered birds
Photo courtesy: Jacob Drucker
Photo courtesy: Alex Wang
(HONOLULU) – Friday, the state Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) all authorized the Final Environmental Assessment (EA) to utilize landscape-scale mosquito suppression in crucial forest bird environment to lower mosquito populations in the thick, wet forests of east Maui.
The function of this job is to avoid the termination of threatened and threatened forest birds. Avian malaria, a deadly illness, is the main cause for the remarkable decrease for 6 staying types of Hawaiian honeycreepers: ʻiʻiwi, Maui ʻalauahio, Hawaiʻi ʻamakihi, ʻapapane, kikiwiu, and ʻākohekohe. For seriously threatened types, like kiwikiu and ʻākohekohe, the increasing existence of intrusive mosquitoes has actually put them on a trajectory for termination within the next 2 to 10 years.
The mosquitos that spread out bird malaria are not able to effectively recreate in cold environments, therefore, these honeycreepers have actually had the ability to continue high elevation native forest environment on east Maui. Increasing temperature levels connected with environment modification are enabling mosquito populations and bird malaria to broaden into these high elevation native forests where a few of the last populations of these forest birds stay.
The DLNR and the National Park Service (NPS) collectively produced the EA which proposes utilizing a tested technique referred to as Incompatible Insect Technique (ITT) to manage intrusive mosquitoes in the forests to lower the occurrence of bird malaria, which is deadly.
IIT has actually been utilized effectively worldwide to restrict the human health effects of mosquitoes and to lower populations of the southern house mosquito, which spread out bird malaria. The method utilizes a naturally-occurring germs called Wolbachia. Male mosquitoes, with an incompatible stress of Wolbachia germs, are launched to mate with wild female mosquitoes that lay eggs that do not hatch. The result is much smaller sized populations of mosquitoes. Male mosquitoes do not bite and cannot spread out illness.
The EA evaluated the possible effects of the proposed job, which would deal with parts of Haleakalā National Park, a number of forest reserves handled by DLNR, and personal land parcels in east Maui. The detailed 300-page-long evaluation thought about the effects of taking no action, an analysis of cultural resources in the job location, and resolved particular remarks offered by neighborhood members on an earlier draft.
Based on the evaluation, the NPS revealed on March 23 that it would provide a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the job, clearing the method for ITT to continue on federal lands within the job location. Friday’s BLNR choice permits the job to likewise progress on suggested state and personal parcels.
“This is an emotional issue for people,” said BLNR Chair Dawn Chang. “These birds are part of our cultural and ecological heritage, and I think everyone wants to see them protected in the right way. Whether in support or opposition, we appreciate everyone who provided their manaʻo on this topic so the board could make an informed decision on the adequacy of the EA. What we do know is that taking no action, will put these valuable manu or birds at further risk of extinction.”
Both DLNR and the NPS are members of Birds Not Mosquitoes, a partnership of state, federal, and personal non-profit partners working to save Hawaiian honeycreepers from termination.
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RESOURCES
(Images courtesy: DLNR)
Photographs connected:
- A female kiwikiu on Maui
- An ʻākohekohe on Maui
For more info:
MEDIA CONTACT:
Dan Dennison
Senior Communications Manager
Hawaii Dept. of Land and Natural Resources
[email protected]
