Hawaii is known for its beautiful birds and wildlife advocates want to see more done to protect them from the effects of climate change.

One of the major threats is avian malaria, spread by a species of invasive mosquitoes, with death rates exceeding 90%. The National Park Service is ramping up a plan to suppress the mosquitoes by making them unable to reproduce.

Jonee Peters, executive director of the Conservation Council of Hawaii, said the work cannot begin soon enough, noting six birds declared extinct earlier this month were Hawaiian honeycreepers.

"All of these birds are endemic to Hawaii, so they occur nowhere else in the world," Peters explained. "Once these species are extinct, they are gone from the face of this earth and we cannot replace them."

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed 21 species from the Endangered Species List earlier this month after concluding they were already extinct.

The plan to address invasive mosquitoes, which Peters considers urgent, is on hold after the group, Hawaii Unites, filed for a temporary injunction, claiming the project needs more study to prove it will not harm birds, the environment or human health.

Linda Elliott, president and director of the Hawaii Wildlife Center, said Hawaii is home to 44% of the country's endangered and threatened species. With so many on the list, the state has been dubbed the "extinction capital of the world."

"Eight out of 21 are now declared extinct, and then we know that there's at least five others that could go extinct in our lifetime," Elliott pointed out. "That's not something I ever expected to experience. But we're focused on making sure that we're part of the solution."

A recent festival put a focus on native birds and their cultural significance, including the ancient use of bird feathers to create cloaks and capes. Peters said in 2010, a small, honey-eating songbird was declared extinct after not being seen in more than 35 years. She added the male bird was last recorded calling for a mate who had perished.

"What we know of an 'Ō'ō is to what we hear in songs, read in books or go to a museum and see the handiwork of people that used to do feather work," Peters recounted. "That's part of the culture that we will never get back."

In addition to birds, Hawaii's endangered species include the monk seal and green sea turtle.


get more stories like this via email

With manatee season in full swing, Florida's gentle marine mammals gather in warm waters to escape winter's chill. But these iconic creatures face growing challenges from habitat loss, water pollution and boating collisions.

A new proposal from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service aims to address these threats by revising critical habitat protections for the first time in nearly 50 years.

The agency proposes protecting more than 1.9 million acres of critical habitat for Florida manatees and more than 78,000 acres for Antillean manatees in Puerto Rico, marking the first update since 1976.

"It's a long-overdue revision of looking at what is vital habitat for manatees to find warm water, to be able to feed, to travel, to give birth and safely raise their young," said Elizabeth Fleming, a senior Florida representative for the nonprofit Defenders of Wildlife.

Previously, critical habitat was designated based solely on areas where manatees were known to congregate. The proposed changes now incorporate scientific research, identifying areas based on the physical and biological features essential for their conservation.

The updated habitat proposal is open for public comment until Jan. 24.

Katherine Sayler, a southeast representative for Defenders of Wildlife, said the loss of warm-water habitat is a major threat to manatees, many of which now depend on power-plant outflows for warmth. The updated habitat proposal includes natural springs such as Manatee, Fanning and Silver Springs, which stay at 72 degrees year-round and are crucial for their winter survival.

"They need travel corridors to get between these areas of warm water," Sayler explained, "and that's where we think we need to really allow for the public to engage and really make comments on where are these travel corridors."

Seagrasses are vital to the health of marine ecosystems. For more than a decade, the Indian River Lagoon has experienced extensive seagrass meadow loss because of algae blooms associated with nutrient runoff and degraded water quality from septic overflow leaching into the environment.

Fleming added that the proposal is a first step. Still, much more must be done to address concerns, especially in an area known as Mosquito Lagoon, which she described as a critical habitat for manatees.

"This area of the Indian River lagoon that has had some regeneration of seagrass isn't included in the new manatee-critical habitat," she said. "So, we see that as a big omission."

Anyone can comment on the proposed habitat changes via mail or electronically on regulations.gov. Conservationists hope increased awareness during manatee season will strengthen safeguards for Florida's iconic marine mammal.

Final federal plans for Greater sage grouse habitat in Wyoming and other western states were met with criticism last month but some said the overdue plans need to be passed.

The final Environmental Impact Statement from the U.S. Department of the Interior revises policies on nearly half of sage grouse habitat across 10 states. Some environmental advocates said the plans are not protective enough for the birds, whose populations have declined about 80% across their range since the mid-1960s.

Alison Holloran, executive director of the Audubon Rockies regional office of the National Audubon Society, said work needs to be able to happen on the ground now.

"We have wasted 10 years," Holloran contended. "We have serious issues with climate and drought, and invasive species, wildfire eating up our sagebrush. These plans have an ability to put our words into action, finally."

Current management is based on Obama-era 2015 plans, which the first Trump administration attempted to replace in 2019 in favor of its energy dominance agenda. Holloran acknowledged no one is sure what Trump's second term could mean for the new plans. The protest period ends Dec. 16.

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon wrote in a statement the federal plans "reflect extreme indifference to the primacy vested in Wyoming's exclusive authority" to manage the bird's population and he is "hopeful" about Trump's next term.

Holloran pointed out the Bureau of Land Management used the newest science, which has advanced since the 2015 plans, and the agency is charged with balancing different kinds of land use.

"I would say they are fair plans in taking what BLM lands are, as multiple-use," Holloran noted. "It is about how we all use our public land. And I think the American people need to understand that as well."

The final impact statement reduces the acres of "critical concern" from its last proposed plans by nearly 25% to about 630,000 acres but it also suggests tightening restrictions in those areas for oil, gas, wind and solar energy development.


get more stories like this via email

Pronghorn, which can reach speeds of 60 miles per hour, are the second-fastest mammal on earth but their speed is no match for cars and trucks.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife recently released video showing more than 100 pronghorn killed along eastern Colorado roads after heavy snowfall blocked their escape routes.

Liz Rose, Colorado field representative for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, said unfortunately, such numbers are not unusual. Every year, 4,000 wildlife-vehicle collisions are reported across the state.

"Those are just the reported incidents," Rose pointed out. "The actual collision rate is thought to be more than 14,000 wildlife-vehicle collisions each year in Colorado."

Colorado is home to herds of bighorn sheep, deer, elk and pronghorn, and all must travel between winter and summer habitat for food and shelter. Rose emphasized because migration corridors intersect with roads and highways, motorists need to be on the alert. Each year, collisions cost $80 million in property damage and medical-related expenses, and 24 million in lost wildlife.

Wildlife-related recreation added $7.5 billion to Colorado's economy each year. Rose believes it is important for lawmakers to protect the revenue stream by creating and maintaining overpasses, underpasses, fencing and signage. The first major wildlife crossing on the I-70 mountain corridor, completed last June west of Denver, cost just over $10 million.

"Additional funding for the crossing infrastructure is desperately needed," Rose contended. "Because these are big projects and for them to be really successful, it's important to incorporate the best data, the best construction practices, to do it right."

Using GPS tracking data, scientists have identified 88 top-priority sites across the state where large herds routinely encounter roads and highways. Rose stressed everyone wants to feel safe driving across Colorado's iconic landscapes and most want to see wildlife, just not on the road.

"The risk of wildlife-vehicle collisions affects all of us in Colorado," Rose added. "Anyone who drives, especially near sunrise or sunset, we are all at risk of potentially encountering wildlife."