Dogs suspected to be behind deaths of 34 Kauai seabirds

State wildlife officials are investigating the deaths 34 wedge-tailed shearwaters in a seabird colony along Kauai’s southern coast.

Officials suspect dogs are the culprits.

The bodies of the birds, also known in Hawaiian as uau kani, were found Sunday at Spouting Horn in the Lawai area, with most of the carcasses found near the parking lot end of Lawai Road, officials said.

“There have been multiple attacks on Kauai’s native birds by dogs and cats over the years,” said Thomas Kaiakapu, a state wildlife biologist on Kauai.

Kaiakapu said local landowners have given the state the authority to trap stray dogs, which could lead state officials to the responsible dog owners.

Also, wildlife managers are meeting with Kauai Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement on how to address this situation and prevent future recurrences, according to a state Department of Land and Natural Resources news release.

The bird carcasses have been taken to DLNR’s Division of Forestry and Wildlife base yard in Lihue, and necropsies will be performed to confirm how they were killed, the release said.

Seabirds on Kauai have been killed in similar ways in the past. The birds nest in burrows on the ground, making them vulnerable to predators such as dogs and cats.

In July and August 2013, more than 80 native seabirds were discovered killed by dogs and cats on Kauai’s south shore.