[BCNnet] FW: Po'ouli

Wed, 1 Dec 2004 14:25:19 -0600

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BCNnet friends;

Here's ABC's press release on this bird's confirmed extinction.

Donald R. Dann

Highland Park/Lake County  

AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVANCY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATELINE: WASHINGTON, D.C.

DATE: December 1, 2004

CONTACT: GAVIN SHIRE. 202-452-1535 X207, GSHIRE@ABCBIRDS.ORG

Hawaiian Bird Goes Extinct: Government Must Act Now to Prevent Dozens More
Losses

A native Hawaiian bird died in captivity on November 28, probably signaling
the extinction of the species. Saving the Po'ouli, a small honeycreeper
found only on the island of Maui, had been the mission of a few dedicated
biologists at the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project over the past year.
Sadly, their stalwart efforts seem to have come to a sad juncture, and a
lack of funding and commitment from the federal and state governments could
result in the extinction of many more Hawaiian birds.

By the time the decision was made to begin captive-breeding efforts, only
three birds were thought to survive on Maui. Bad weather caused delays to
capture efforts, but cancellation of an expedition during one of the few
available weather windows due to temporary cessation of funding seemed
symbolic of the situation at such a critical time. Ultimately only one bird
could be located, and though successfully caught, it has now died in a Maui
breeding facility. A slim but waning hope remains that the other two known
birds may yet survive; however, neither has been seen in months.

The questions being asked in the conservation community are how could the
situation have been allowed to get so desperate before captive-breeding
attempts were made? Why has funding been so hard to obtain recently for a
species so perilously close to extinction?  And how do we ensure that the
Po'ouli's plight is not repeated by other endangered species, particularly
those in Hawaii?

The Po'ouli's tragic story follows a series of bird extinctions that has
swept Hawaii since humans arrived on the islands. Most of the surviving
native land birds are heading towards extinction. As with the Po'ouli, a
combination of introduced predators, disease, and habitat clearance have
caused their declines. At the same time that these species are slipping
away, seemingly unnoticed, well-funded programs to protect the Bald Eagle,
California Condor, and Whooping Crane - species that faced a similar, if not
greater barrage of threats - are succeeding, showing that species
conservation programs can and do work if properly resourced.

"Hawaii's bird extinction crisis is a global tragedy that is largely being
ignored. That the World's wealthiest nation is allowing bird extinctions to
continue, largely unchecked, in its own back yard is unconscionable," said
Dr. George H. Fenwick, President of American Bird Conservancy. "Fully one
third of the birds on the U.S. Endangered Species List occur only in Hawaii,
several of which may already be extinct. Funding for the conservation of
those that remain needs to be increased by orders of magnitude if we are to
avert a biological disaster in our lifetimes."

Thirty-two bird species that breed primarily on islands in the Hawaiian
chain are listed on the global "Red List" of threatened species, several of
which have not been seen in decades and may already be extinct. Others
survive but in desperately low numbers. Another, the Hawaiian Crow survives
only in captivity. In fact, only a handful of Hawaiian birds appear not to
be in decline. The surviving species could likely still be saved from
extinction if the required effort is made. 

At a time when the Endangered Species Act is coming under criticism, the
probable extinction of the Po'ouli should serve as a wake up call to the
government and the American people. American Bird Conservancy is calling for
a commitment from the Bush Administration, Congress, and the environmental
community to dramatically increase their efforts to prevent bird species
extinctions, particularly in Hawaii.

Background Information:

The Po'ouli was first discovered in 1973 and placed on the Endangered
Species List the following year. In the mid 1980s, the total population was
thought to number around 100 birds, though no more than a handful have ever
been seen. At one point, three birds were shot by researchers to learn more
about the species' diet by examining their stomach contents. In 2002, one of
the three known remaining birds was caught and released within the territory
of another, in an attempt to get the two to breed. However, the translocated
bird did not remain in the area. Captive breeding efforts began in 2003,
when members of the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project attempted to locate
and capture all remaining birds. Only one has been located in the year
since, and this was the bird that was captured on September 9, 2004. Decline
and likely extinction of the Po'ouli has been attributed to loss of forest
habitat, introduced species such as feral pigs, and, quite probably, disease
such as avian malaria.

The Hawaiian Islands are unique in terms of their biological diversity. Many
species of plants and animals there occur nowhere else on Earth, having
evolved in isolation, thousands of miles from the next nearest land.
Hawaii's birds exhibit one of the world's best examples of adaptive
radiation, in which many forms are derived from a common ancestor. Variation
observed by Darwin in finches on the Galapagos Islands gave rise to his
theory of evolution. Had Darwin studied Hawaiian birds, he would have
discovered an even more marked diversity among Hawaii's honeycreepers than
exists among those Galapagos finches.

The decline of Hawaii's birds is symptomatic of the gradual destruction of
Hawaii's ecosystems. This destruction began with the arrival of Polynesian
settlers who cleared much of the lowland forest in the archipelago. This was
compounded by a suite of introduced species ranging from predatory
mongooses, to diseases such as avian pox and malaria. In combination these
factors have caused the extinction of more than 20 Hawaiian bird species
since 1500. Despite this, a few Hawaiian landbirds still have stable
populations. Among them are the Apapane and Hawaii Amakihi. Captive breeding
programs involving the Zoological Society of San Diego, The Peregrine Fund,
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Hawaii Department of Forestry and
Wildlife have been successful in the case of other rare Hawaiian species,
including the Maui Parrotbill, Small Kauai Thrush, Pallila, and Hawaii
Creeper. The Nature Conservancy has also played a key role in Hawaiian bird
conservation through habitat acquisition and management.

American Bird Conservancy (ABC) is a U.S.-based 501(c)3 not-for-profit
organization dedicated to conserving wild birds and their habitats
throughout the Americas. ABC is headquartered in Virginia, with offices in
ten states and the District of Columbia. ABC has more than 300 partner
organizations throughout the Americas, primarily through its leadership
roles in the North American Bird Conservation Initiative, Partners in
Flight, the Bird Conservation Alliance, the National Pesticide Reform
Coalition, and the Alliance for Zero Extinction. ABC was recently rated one
of the best-managed small charities in the U.S. by the independent group
"Charity Navigator," and given their highest rating for fiscal management.
For more information, see: www.abcbirds.org.

Photographs of the Po'ouli are available from the following Web sites
(please consult them for copyright information):

Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project - www.mauiforestbird.org

Hawaii Dept. of Forestry and Wildlife - www.dofaw.net

- END -

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<div class=3DSection1>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><st1:PersonName w:st=3D"on"><font size=3D4 =
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span
 style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>BCN</span></font></st1:PersonName><font =
size=3D4><span
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>net friends;<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D4 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
14.0pt'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D4 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
14.0pt'>Here&#8217;s ABC&#8217;s press release on this bird&#8217;s =
confirmed
extinction.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D4 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
14.0pt'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><span class=3DEmailStyle19><font size=3D4 =
color=3Dblack
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>Donald R. =
Dann<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><span class=3DEmailStyle19><font size=3D4 =
color=3Dblack
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>Highland =
Park/Lake County
&nbsp;</span></font></span><font size=3D4><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D4 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
14.0pt'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>AMERICAN BIRD =
CONSERVANCY<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

</div>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>DATELINE: <st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:City =
w:st=3D"on">WASHINGTON</st1:City>,
 <st1:State =
w:st=3D"on">D.C.</st1:State></st1:place><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>DATE: December 1, 2004<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>CONTACT: GAVIN SHIRE. 202-452-1535 X207, <a
href=3D"mailto:GSHIRE@ABCBIRDS.ORG">GSHIRE@ABCBIRDS.ORG</a><o:p></o:p></s=
pan></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><u><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Hawaiian Bird Goes Extinct: Government Must Act Now =
to
Prevent Dozens More Losses<o:p></o:p></span></font></u></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

A native Hawaiian bird died in captivity on November =
28,
probably signaling the extinction of the species. Saving the Po'ouli, a =
small
honeycreeper found only on the <st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:PlaceType =
w:st=3D"on">island</st1:PlaceType>
 of <st1:PlaceName w:st=3D"on">Maui</st1:PlaceName></st1:place>, had =
been the
mission of a few dedicated biologists at the Maui Forest Bird Recovery =
Project
over the past year.&nbsp;Sadly, their stalwart efforts seem to have come =
to a
sad juncture, and a lack of funding and commitment from the federal and =
state
governments could result in the extinction of many more Hawaiian =
birds.<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

By the time the decision was made to begin =
captive-breeding
efforts, only three birds were thought to survive on <st1:place =
w:st=3D"on">Maui</st1:place>.
Bad weather caused delays to capture efforts, but cancellation of an =
expedition
during one of the few available weather windows due to temporary =
cessation of
funding seemed symbolic of the situation at such a critical time. =
Ultimately
only one bird could be located, and though successfully caught, it has =
now died
in a <st1:place w:st=3D"on">Maui</st1:place> breeding facility. A slim =
but waning
hope remains that the other two known birds may yet survive; however, =
neither
has been seen in months.<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

The questions being asked in the conservation =
community are
how could the situation have been allowed to get so desperate before
captive-breeding attempts were made? Why has funding been so hard to =
obtain
recently for a species so perilously close to extinction?&nbsp; And how =
do we ensure
that the Po&#8217;ouli&#8217;s plight is not repeated by other =
endangered
species, particularly those in <st1:State w:st=3D"on"><st1:place =
w:st=3D"on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:State>?<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

The Po&#8217;ouli&#8217;s tragic story follows a
series&nbsp;of bird extinctions that has swept <st1:State =
w:st=3D"on"><st1:place
 w:st=3D"on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:State> since humans arrived on the =
islands.
Most of the surviving native land birds&nbsp;are heading towards =
extinction. As
with the Po&#8217;ouli, a combination of introduced predators, disease, =
and
habitat clearance have caused their declines. At the same time that =
these
species are slipping away, seemingly unnoticed, well-funded programs to =
protect
the Bald Eagle, California Condor, and Whooping Crane - species that =
faced a
similar, if not greater barrage of threats - are =
succeeding,&nbsp;showing that
species conservation&nbsp;programs can and do work if properly =
resourced.<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

&quot;<st1:State w:st=3D"on"><st1:place =
w:st=3D"on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:State>'s
bird extinction crisis is&nbsp;a global tragedy that is largely being =
ignored.
That the World's&nbsp;wealthiest nation is allowing bird extinctions to
continue, largely unchecked, in its own&nbsp;back yard is
unconscionable,&#8221; said Dr. George H. Fenwick, President of American =
Bird
Conservancy. &#8220;Fully one third of the birds on the U.S. Endangered =
Species
List occur only in <st1:State w:st=3D"on"><st1:place =
w:st=3D"on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:State>,
several of which may already be extinct. Funding for the conservation of =
those
that remain needs to be increased by orders of magnitude if we are to =
avert a
biological disaster in our lifetimes.&quot;<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

Thirty-two bird species that breed&nbsp;primarily on =
islands
in the Hawaiian chain are listed on the global &quot;Red List&quot; of
threatened species,&nbsp;several of&nbsp;which have not been seen in =
decades
and may already be extinct. Others survive&nbsp;but in =
desperately&nbsp;low
numbers.&nbsp;Another, the Hawaiian Crow&nbsp;survives only in =
captivity. In
fact, only a handful of Hawaiian&nbsp;birds appear not to be in decline. =
The
surviving species&nbsp;could&nbsp;likely still&nbsp;be saved from =
extinction if
the required effort is made.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

At a time when the Endangered Species Act is coming =
under
criticism, the probable extinction of the Po&#8217;ouli should serve as =
a wake
up call to the government and the American people. American Bird =
Conservancy is
calling for a commitment from the Bush Administration, Congress, and the
environmental community to dramatically increase their efforts to =
prevent bird
species extinctions, particularly in <st1:State w:st=3D"on"><st1:place =
w:st=3D"on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:State>.<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><strong><b><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Background =
Information:</span></font></b></strong><font
size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p=
>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

The =
Po&#8217;ouli was first
discovered in 1973 and placed on the Endangered Species List the =
following
year. In the mid 1980s, the total population was thought to number =
around 100
birds, though no more than a handful have ever been seen. At one point, =
three
birds were shot by researchers to learn more about the species&#8217; =
diet by
examining their stomach contents. In 2002, one of the three known =
remaining
birds was caught and released within the territory of another, in an =
attempt to
get the two to breed. However, the translocated bird did not remain in =
the
area. Captive breeding efforts began in 2003, when members of the Maui =
Forest
Bird Recovery Project attempted to locate and capture all remaining =
birds. Only
one has been located in the year since, and this was the bird that was =
captured
on September 9, 2004. Decline and likely extinction of the Po&#8217;ouli =
has
been attributed to loss of forest habitat, introduced species such as =
feral pigs,
and, quite probably, disease such as avian =
malaria.<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

The Hawaiian =
Islands are unique
in terms of their biological diversity. Many species of plants and =
animals
there occur nowhere else on Earth, having evolved in isolation, =
thousands of
miles from the next nearest land.&nbsp;<st1:State w:st=3D"on"><st1:place =
w:st=3D"on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:State>'s
birds exhibit one of the world's best examples of adaptive radiation, in =
which
many forms are derived from a common ancestor. Variation observed by =
<st1:City
w:st=3D"on">Darwin</st1:City> in finches on the <st1:place =
w:st=3D"on">Galapagos
 Islands</st1:place> gave rise to his theory of evolution. Had <st1:City =
w:st=3D"on">Darwin</st1:City>
studied Hawaiian birds, he would have discovered an even more marked =
diversity
among <st1:State w:st=3D"on"><st1:place =
w:st=3D"on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:State>'s
honeycreepers than exists among those Galapagos =
finches.<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

The decline of <st1:State =
w:st=3D"on">Hawaii</st1:State>'s
birds is symptomatic of the gradual destruction of =
<st1:State
w:st=3D"on"><st1:place w:st=3D"on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:State>'s =
ecosystems.
This destruction began with the arrival of Polynesian settlers who =
cleared much
of the lowland forest in the archipelago. This was compounded by a suite =
of
introduced species ranging from predatory mongooses, to diseases such as =
avian
pox and malaria. In combination these factors have caused the extinction =
of
more than 20 Hawaiian bird species since 1500. Despite this, a few =
Hawaiian
landbirds still have stable populations. Among them are the Apapane and =
Hawaii
Amakihi.&nbsp;Captive breeding programs involving the Zoological Society =
of San
Diego, The Peregrine Fund, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and =
Hawaii
Department of Forestry and Wildlife have been successful in the case of =
other
rare Hawaiian species, including the Maui Parrotbill, Small Kauai =
Thrush,
Pallila, and Hawaii Creeper. The Nature Conservancy has also played a =
key role
in Hawaiian bird conservation through habitat acquisition and =
management.<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

American Bird =
Conservancy (ABC) is a
U.S.-based 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to conserving =
wild
birds and their habitats throughout the <st1:country-region =
w:st=3D"on"><st1:place
 w:st=3D"on">Americas</st1:place></st1:country-region>. ABC is =
headquartered in <st1:State
w:st=3D"on">Virginia</st1:State>, with offices in&nbsp;ten&nbsp;states =
and the <st1:State
w:st=3D"on"><st1:place w:st=3D"on">District of =
Columbia</st1:place></st1:State>.
ABC has&nbsp;more than 300 partner organizations throughout the =
<st1:country-region
w:st=3D"on">Americas</st1:country-region>, primarily through its =
leadership roles
in the North American Bird Conservation Initiative, Partners in Flight, =
the
Bird Conservation Alliance, the National Pesticide Reform Coalition, and =
the <st1:City
w:st=3D"on"><st1:place w:st=3D"on">Alliance</st1:place></st1:City> for =
Zero
Extinction. ABC was recently rated one of the best-managed small =
charities in
the <st1:country-region w:st=3D"on"><st1:place =
w:st=3D"on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region>
by the independent group &#8220;Charity Navigator,&#8221; and given =
their
highest rating for fiscal management. For more information, see: <a
href=3D"http://www.abcbirds.org">www.abcbirds.org</a>.<o:p></o:p><=
/font>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Photographs of the Po&#8217;ouli are available from =
the
following Web sites (please consult them for copyright =
information):<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:PlaceName =
w:st=3D"on"><font size=3D2
  face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Maui</span></font></st1:Plac=
eName><font
 size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> <st1:PlaceType
 w:st=3D"on">Forest</st1:PlaceType></span></font></st1:place><font =
size=3D2
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> Bird =
Recovery
Project - www.mauiforestbird.org<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

Hawaii Dept. of Forestry and Wildlife &#8211; =
www.dofaw.net<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal align=3Dcenter style=3D'text-align:center'><font =
size=3D2
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></fo=
nt></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal align=3Dcenter style=3D'text-align:center'><font =
size=3D2
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>- END =
-<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

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