Threat of Axis Deer on the Big Island

[missydog1]

As I already said, I don't appreciate the haole comments and I find that entirely unproductive as a way to move towards a solution -- but I'm going to try to focus only getting at the facts of the situation.

Thanks to both kipa and Midnight Rambler, I was impelled to read something on the mamane and palila

I know that Wikipedia is far from an unimpeachable source, but here is the section of the Mauna Kea article on the mamane-naio forest, which discusses the litigation history.

Can you guys tell me what if anything is in error in this article?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauna_Kea

quote:

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M#257;mane–naio forest

The highest forested zone on the volcano, at an elevation of 2,000–3,000 m (6,600–9,800 ft), is dominated by M#257;mane (Sophora chrysophylla) and Naio (Myoporum sandwicense), both endemic tree species, and is thus known as m#257;mane–naio forest. M#257;mane seeds and Naio fruit are the chief foods of the birds in this zone, especially the Palila (Loxioides bailleui). The Palila was formerly found on the slopes of Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, and Hual#257;lai, but is now confined to the slopes of Mauna Kea—only 10% of its former range—and has been declared critically endangered.[35]

The largest threat to the ecosystem is grazing by feral sheep (Ovis aries), cattle (Bos primigenius),[45] and goats (Capra hircus) introduced to the island in the late 18th century. Feral animal competition with commercial grazing was severe enough that a program to eradicate them existed as far back as the late 1920s,[35] and continued through to 1949. One of the results of this grazing was the increased prevalence of herbaceous and woody plants, both endemic and introduced, that were resistant to browsing.[45]

The feral animals were almost eradicated, and numbered a few hundred in the 1950s. However, an influx of local hunters led to the feral species being valued as game animals, and in 1959 the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, the governing body in charge of conservation and land use management, changed its policy to a sustained-control program designed to facilitate the sport.[35]

Mouflon (Ovis aries orientalis) was introduced from 1962–1964,[46] and a plan to release Axis Deer (Axis axis) in 1964 was prevented only by protests from the ranching industry, who said that they would damage crops and spread disease. The hunting industry fought back, and the back-and-forth between the ranchers and hunters eventually gave way to a rise in public environmental concern.

With the development of astronomical facilities on Mauna Kea commencing, conservationists demanded protection of Mauna Kea's ecosystem. A plan was proposed to fence 25% of the forests for protection, and manage the remaining 75% for game hunting. Despite opposition from conservationists the plan was put into action. While the land was partitioned no money was allocated for the building of the fence. In the midst of this wrangling the Endangered Species Act was passed; the National Audubon Society and Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit against the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, claiming that they were violating federal law, in the landmark case Palila v. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (1978).[35][47]

The court ruled in favor of conservationists and upheld the precedence of federal laws before state control of wildlife. Having violated the Endangered Species Act, Hawaii state was required to remove all feral animals from the mountainside.[35] This decision was followed by a second court order in 1981. A public hunting program removed many of the feral animals,[39] at least temporarily. An active control program is in place,[4] though it is not conducted with sufficient rigor to allow significant recovery of the m#257;mane-naio ecosystem.[48]

There are many other species and ecosystems on the island, and on Mauna Kea, that remain threatened by human development and invasive species.[35]
The Mauna Kea Forest Reserve protects 52,500 acres (212 km2) of m#257;mane-naio forest under the jurisdiction of the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. Ungulate hunting is allowed year-round.[4] A small part of the m#257;mane–naio forest is encompassed by the Mauna Kea State Recreation Area.[49]

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I also read the articles on the palila and the mamane, and it is fascinating how the palila have adapted to eat a toxic seed that kills ordinary finches.
Palila article
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palila