WAILUA — During the next two day, elementary school students will release protected Hawaiian seabirds back into the wild. Today, 25 fourth-grade students from Island School, lead by teacher Jamie Metzger, will gather near Kamalani Bridge at Lydgate Beach Park
WAILUA — During the next two day, elementary school students will release protected Hawaiian seabirds back into the wild.
Today, 25 fourth-grade students from Island School, lead by teacher Jamie Metzger, will gather near Kamalani Bridge at Lydgate Beach Park in Wailua to release young ‘a‘o, or Newell’s shearwater, back into the wild, according to a press release from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.
These birds are all fledglings that were attracted to artificial light sources on their first flight from their nest burrows and were subsequently grounded. Grounded birds are collected every year by concerned citizens and turned into the Save Our Shearwaters Program for rehabilitation and release.
The event will run from 10:45 a.m. to 12 p.m., and is part of the annual E Ho‘opomaika‘i ‘ia na Manu ‘A‘o (A Cultural Release of the Native Newell’s Shearwater) event.
On Wednesday, Wilcox Elementary School students and teachers Tamra Martin and Travis Miyazaki will participate in the release of shearwaters at 10:45 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the same location.
Contact Dr. André Raine, coordinator at Kaua‘i Endangered Seabird Recovery Project, at 335-5300.
