Endangered Hawaiian Hawk may be De-Listed

[Dave M]

I just went back and "hawked" mine up a little. LOL, no pun intended..

Blessings,
dave

"It doesn't mean that much to me.. to mean that much to you." Neil Young

[Dave Smith]

Mitzi, is the proposal to reduce Ôio's status to threatened or to de-list it entirely?

[kimtavares]

The I`o is the pride of this island. These creatures are found nowhere else on Earth!

Since there is little chance for the federal government to continue protecting these birds, why not suggest to STATE legislators to do something about it. I think the deadline for new legislation is in two days, but maybe w/ another year of time to prepare something better, next year might be better. The protections these birds need are basic.

1. (STATE) There must be a law making it illegal to kill one intentionally. Believe me, I've heard that this happens, more often than you'd like to know.

2. (STATE & COUNTY) If you want the bird populations to grow, protect its habitat. I think one of the big reasons populations don't increase significantly, is because it's range or habitat is shrinking. Support CHANGES TO Chapter 10 Grubbing and Grading, Soil Erosion Control, etc. to INCLUDE provisions for protecting the watershed forest.

SO... when you develop your LAND, be kind to native wildlife. Clear only as little as you need for your home and garden. REMEMBER, ULUHE IS GOOD. If you clear more than you can maintain, you will have a mess and a yard full of invasive species. Native wildlife will look for healthier places to be. Somewhere with lots of tall ohi`a and lehua blossoms in all directions.

If you need wide open space to develop something more than a quarter acre, please don't look to the forests, I`o habitat. Find former cane or pasture land if you have big plans.

Thank you!

[Mitzi M]

quote:

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Mitzi, is the proposal to reduce Ôio's status to threatened or to de-list it entirely? -
Quote from Dave Smith

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Dave, I believe there was originally a proposal to reduce the status to "threatened". Somehow, this changed to de-list entirely.

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"The [USFW]Service is seeking public comment on this proposal and at the same time, providing notice of the withdrawal of a previous proposed reclassification of the bird from endangered to threatened status...

The proposed rule, if made final, would remove the Hawaiian hawk from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and remove all protections provided under the Endangered Species Act. The hawk will remain protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, a federal law that prohibits "taking" - killing, selling or otherwise harming migratory birds, their nests or eggs."
(Excerpt from an 8-6-08 USFWS report on the de-listing.)

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Kim is right - it's the habitat we need to preserve. I'm in the middle of reading a great book called Song of the Dodo by David Quammen about the root causes of extinction. In pretty much every case it's caused by a disruption of the many invisible relationships between species in an ecosystem which were worked out over long periods of time.

Preserving the 'Io means allowing enough mature 'Ohi'a forest to remain, which in turn will allow other native species to survive. It will also keep this island a much nicer place for us humans to live.

Glen, I too am grinding up a very special cup of joe for tomorrow morning...I'll call it "Obamahope breakfast blend". I truly have hope that the new administration will help to undo some of the environmental travesties of the last. But I think we still have to be vigilant. I think it's going to be up to us to tell Obama what we want and what we care about.

Honestly, I don't think the Fish and Wildlife folks from Honolulu ever expected such an uproar about de-listing the 'Io. It seems to have taken them off-guard. I think perhaps they expected it to happen quietly, without a hitch. Let's surprise them some more!


Aloha,
Mitzi

[Kelena]

Here's a feather of hope for the Hawaiian Hawk: "BREAKING: White House Emanuel signs a memorandum ordering all agencies and departments to stop all pending regulations until a legal and policy review can be conducted by the Obama administration."

It is very important to continue to provide comments as recommended by Mitzi above as interests may still be allied against the Hawaiian Hawk.

[Mitzi M]

Glen,
May the happy shadow of the gliding 'Io rain down blessings on you!
That's good news...

So, the word is that the meeting will be "informational"
and that formal testimony will re-open... sometime soon - TBA.

I think it's important to let the folks spearheading this project
on a local and state level know we are here and we care about the 'Io.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) evening at 6:30 PM
Pu'ueo Community Center
145 Wainaku Street, Hilo

961-8738 (phone # at meeting location)

Hope you can make it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Aloha,
Mitzi

[Mitzi M]

Hi Punawebbers,

Here's an update on what's going on with the ‘io issue now.

This coming Tuesday, June 30th, there will be a meeting with the USFWS at the Pu'ueo Community Center in Hilo for public comment about the proposed de-listing of the 'io, from 6-8PM.

Pu'ueo C.C. is just north of bayfronts at 145 Wainaku St.
(Take Keawe St. North across Waianuenue and cross the bridge. It turns into Pu'ueo St. - take the 1st left after the bridge onto Ohai, then the 1st right onto Wainaku St. The center is half a block on the left.)

Another meeting will be held in Captain Cook, Weds, July 1 at Yano Hall 6-8PM.

The public comment period has now re-opened and will end August 4th. If you have previously commented and wish to comment again with any new info - that's great too.

"The Service welcomes all comments regarding the proposed rule and the draft post delisting monitoring plan, but is especially interested in those pertaining to biological, commercial trade, or other relevant data concerning any threats to this species; additional information concerning the range, distribution, and population size of this species, including the locations of any additional populations; current or planned activities in the areas occupied by the species and possible impacts of these activities, as well as data on population trends."

You can also easily make your comments online at:

http://www.regulations.gov/search/index.jsp
Type in Hawaiian Hawk and click on submit comment.

It just takes a minute!

Please come out to the meeting if can and speak up about this critical issue.

Aloha,
Mitzi

[Pilgrim]

Should you give your comments on the website if you are also going to the meeting? I think I'll go down there tomorrow. If I don't I guess I won't have room to complain about what happens.

[mdd7000]

Are there any scientific stats or research to show how many is an appropriate population for the area? While 3000 seems like a small number to me for genetic diversity, at what point would there be too many and the population would either suffer or have to look for other food sources? Would they attack Nene in that event?

[csgray]

Compared to Nene these hawks are tiny, I can't imagine they would ever go after a nene. The big threat to nene is mongoose, dogs, and people. Usually when raptor populations hit maximum carrying capacity for an area younger pairs move on to the nearest appropriate habitat, not different food sources.

Carol