BIRDS, BUGS, AND BATTLE PLANS: ASSESSING AVIAN MALARIA ON HAWAIʻI ISLAND FOR HONEYCREEPER CONSERVATION | |||
Cara M Thow; Hawai'i Division of Forestry and Wildlife; thow@hawaii.edu; Lisa Crampton, Hanna Mounce, Lindsey Nietmann, Alex Wang | |||
Avian malaria is a primary cause of native Hawaiian honeycreeper declines and extinctions. Without management of the disease or its vector, the southern house mosquito, several endangered honeycreepers will become extinct within one to ten years, and remaining species will continue to decline. Additionally, climate change has enabled the spread of mosquitoes and malaria into previously unaffected habitats, especially on Maui and Kauaʻi. The application of Incompatible Insect Technique (IIT) in key native forests and translocation of birds to refugia with lower disease prevalence on Hawaiʻi Island provide hope for critically endangered birds on other islands. We conducted surveys of bird and mosquito populations in high elevation native forests on Hawaiʻi Island in 2022 to assess their viability for conservation translocations and priority for mosquito control efforts. Initial results indicate avian malaria prevalence ranges from 0 to 0.75±0.15 (SE) in key indicator bird species. Mosquito surveys did not detect mosquitoes in some forests, while other locations housed moderate populations of mosquitoes that could transmit avian malaria locally. These data suggest that while some Hawaiʻi Island forests are viable targets for translocations of species from other islands, others are already in need of IIT and other forms of mosquito control to protect existing species. We will also provide updates on the current state of conservation actions aimed at protecting honeycreepers from extinction. | |||
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