Hawaiian honeycreepers threatened by mosquitos and climate change

[DavidBrown]

New research documents major habitat declines in several species of honeycreepers on Kauai. The researchers ascribe the decline to spreading mosquito habitat on the island due to climate change.

Extinction looms for native bird species on the Hawaiian island of Kauai - LA Times

 

[vogelcommando]

Intresting article about saving ( or not saving ) some of Hawaii's bird-species .... :

Should Some Species Be Allowed to Die Out?

 

[toothlessjaws]

Scientists have meanwhile developed the ability to eradicate mosquitos from a given area (using GM mosquito decoys introduced into population) as a combatant to Malaria. I remember when first reading about this in Nat Geo thinking - is this not the solution to both a controlled environment to test for the impacts of removing mosquitoes and also to save Hawaii's last remaining endemic birds?

 

[DavidBrown]

Scientists have meanwhile developed the ability to eradicate mosquitos from a given area (using GM mosquito decoys introduced into population) as a combatant to Malaria. I remember when first reading about this in Nat Geo thinking - is this not the solution to both a controlled environment to test for the impacts of removing mosquitoes and also to save Hawaii's last remaining endemic birds?

I talked with a naturalist in Hawaii about this when I was on the Big Island in January 2018. He said that there are some people advocating trying to rid the islands of mosquitoes using the techniques you mentioned. Whether this ever happens will likely be a function of generating political will and finding the budget to do it. The future of the honeycreepers likely does depend on it as the mosquitoes are moving further into their remaining habitat.

 

[toothlessjaws]

I talked with a naturalist in Hawaii about this when I was on the Big Island in January 2018. He said that there are some people advocating trying to rid the islands of mosquitoes using the techniques you mentioned. Whether this ever happens will likely be a function of generating political will and finding the budget to do it. The future of the honeycreepers likely does depend on it as the mosquitoes are moving further into their remaining habitat.

Would I be correct in my memory that mosquitoes are not native to the hawaiian islands anyway? Its such an obvious solution.

 

[DavidBrown]

Would I be correct in my memory that mosquitoes are not native to the hawaiian islands anyway? Its such an obvious solution.

You are right that mosquitoes aren't native to Hawaii. The honeycreepers were never exposed to the avian malaria that the mosquitoes transmit and that is what is wiping them out. Only the apapane appears to have some resistance from what I read.

 

[vogelcommando]

San Diego Wildlife Alliance's work on saving some of the Hawaiian honeycreeper-species :

Bringing Up (Grand) Babies!