Island Conservation
Coqui Frogs, invasive species in Hawaii and most recently Southern California, are so shrill that their vocalizations are often mistaken for radio and house alarms. In the 1980’s, Coqui Frogs were accidentally introduced to Hawaii. There they proliferated across the four main islands. They have now become unwelcome invasive inhabitants of some regions in Southern California as well. Coqui Frogs represent […]
The second-known land mammal to be a native of Hawaii has been identified. Sadly, it’s extinct. In 1981, the remains of an unknown species were found in a lava tube on Maui. Researchers struggled for decades to identify the species. This year, they finally arrived at their answer. The remains belong to a unique subcategory of the Evening or Vesper […]
Scientists and conservationists take steps to save the Hawaiian Crow “‘Alalā” from extinction. A Hawaiian Crow, also known as “‘Alalā”, chick recently hatched at the San Diego Zoo. The arrival of the chick–the first one this year–marks an important step in a project to reintroduce the ‘Alalā to its natural habitat. The Hawaiian Crow has […]
The genome of the Extinct-in-the-Wild Hawaiian Crow, ‘Alalā, has been sequenced to aid scientists in conservation efforts. Many native Hawaiian plants, especially those in dry forests, rely on the crow for seed dispersal and germination. Tree heliotrope, Heliotropium foertherianum, Hawaii native plant. Photo by Island Conservation Facing increased threats from invasive species and disease, loss of […]
A group of 512 scientists and members of the Association of Tropical Biology and Conservation signed a declaration calling for $1 billion of government funding for the full remediation and biocultural restoration of Kaho’olawe Island. Kaho’olawe, off the coast of Maui, is ridden with explosives, having been used as a bombing range by the U.S. […]
Hawaii is very rich in biodiversity, however, many of the island’s native species face a myriad of threats. Invasive species and habitat destruction via recreation are only two examples. The main Hawaii islands have 481 of the 1,225 endangered species on the nationwide list, according to federal officials. Hawaiian native flora. Photo by Island Conservation […]