HONOLULU Hawaii experts say two native bird populations have declined by more than half and could face extinction.
HONOLULU — Hawaii experts say two native bird populations have declined by more than half and could face extinction.
Hawaii News Now reported Friday that Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project discovered 312 Maui parrotbills and 2,411 crested honeycreepers remain in the wild.
Experts say a new monitoring report conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey and other wildlife agencies revealed that is 50% less than previous population estimates.
Wildlife officials say studies over several decades found there are multiple threats to these two bird species including disease and habitat degradation.
Experts say there are plans to reintroduce the parrotbills to the Nakula Natural Area Reserve in southwest Maui in order to boost the endangered species’ numbers.
Officials say more than 200,000 native plants were planted in forest reserves since 2013 in preparation for the reintroduction.
———
Information from: KGMB-TV, http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/
