The ‘akikiki, a small gray bird native to Hawaii, may not look extraordinary, but it is a rarity. Only five are believed to remain in the wild, and according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, the species could be extinct within months.
The biggest threat to these small birds are malaria-carrying mosquitoes.
Living in the cold, lush mountains of the island of Kaua’i, for many years the species was out of reach of mosquitoes, but rising temperatures due to climate change have allowed the insects to reach the birds, bringing dire consequences.
“Populations have fallen dramatically over the past 15 to 20 years as the climate has changed and mosquitoes have moved to higher elevations,” he said. Hannah Bailey head of Hawaii’s Endangered Forest Bird Conservation Program, Wildlife Alliance, San Diego Zoo.
Without resistance to diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, the ‘akikiki are victims of avian malaria, which “is almost always fatal”, he explains.
With historic low numbers, conservationists like Bailey, along with the Kaua’i Forest Bird Recovery Project and the Department of Land and Natural Resources, are stepping up efforts to save the species from extinction by creating a safe population in conservation centers. birds on the islands of Kaua’i and Maui.
“Our mission is to provide safe haven for endangered species, so that when the environment is suitable for their long-term survival, we can release them again,” he explains.
In search of eggs
Recently, the team moved away from trying to capture the remaining birds and bring them to safety and instead focused entirely on collecting unhatched eggs.
Each nesting season, the team goes to Kaua’i’s mountain highlands and, knowing where nests have been seen before, scours the treetops using a camera mounted on a long pole. When they find an occupied nest, they set up a system of stairs, sometimes climbing up to 14 meters in height to reach it.
Over the past few months, the team has successfully rescued 10 eggs, which were placed in a portable incubator and brought safely to the Kaua’i Bird Conservation Center. There, the collected eggs continue to grow and develop, and the chicks that hatch successfully join the other 50 ‘akikiki in human care.
The rescued birds will live in enclosures carefully designed to mimic their natural habitat and protect them from mosquitoes, and human interaction is strictly limited so the birds maintain their natural behavior, Bailey says.
The aim is that, once the threat of avian malaria is eradicated, the birds can be released into their natural habitat.
“[É a] best chance of surviving and raising these cubs, in the hope that they will give us the next generation of ‘akikiki,’” he says.
Get rid of mosquitoes
The challenge ahead is how to end avian malaria, which not only threatens the ‘akikiki, but also other endangered forest birds.
Historically, there were more than 50 species of nectar- and insect-feeding songbirds in Hawaii, but today only 17 remain as populations have been decimated by mosquito-borne diseases as well as habitat loss and threats from other species. invasive.
In June, the U.S. government committed nearly $16 million as part of an initiative to prevent the imminent extinction of Hawaiian forest birds. This includes funding focused on expanding captive care programs and efforts to control and eradicate invasive mosquitoes.
The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources is awaiting approval from regulators to use the “incompatible insect technique,” which involves releasing male mosquitoes that have a strain of a naturally occurring bacteria called Wolbachia that generates poison-free eggs when they mate. with wild females.
The process could help reduce the likelihood of forest birds being affected by avian malaria, which is only transmitted by female mosquitoes. But until that happens, it’s necessary to focus on growing populations and maintaining stable genetic variety, says Bailey.
“Our greatest hope is that our center will no longer be needed, that we will have control of avian malaria mosquitoes and can control other threats so that these birds can be returned to the wild and live in their native habitat,” he said. it says.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
