Question: Whom can I contact to report dead seabirds by Laie Point? My husband called the state Department of Land and Natural Resources and left a message but it was not returned. This past weekend he saw 18 dead seabirds along the shoreline. This is the second time we’ve seen dead birds — the last time eight birds — in the same area. We suspect dogs are the culprits because fishermen told us they saw dogs pulling birds from the nest and killing them.

Answer: If you see seabirds being killed, call DLNR’s enforcement hotline immediately at 643-DLNR (643-3567). If you’re reporting something after the fact, call DLNR’s Division of Forestry and Wildlife’s Oahu Branch at 973-9786.

A single dog can kill a whole seabird colony in a matter of hours, noted Jason Misaki, DLNR’s Oahu wildlife manager.

In the past, there have been several incidences of shearwaters killed around Laie Point, on private property.The Division of Forestry and Wildlife, as well as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, investigated the incidents and made several recommendations to the landowner to prevent more “take” (bird killings).The recommendations included posting signs, talking to community members to prevent feral and domestic dogs from entering the area, and installing temporary fencing to protect chicks from both dogs and cats.

The seabirds are protected by state and federal laws.

If a landowner is directly responsible for allowing the birds to be harassed, harmed or killed, they may be liable for prosecution, Misaki said.

But in most cases, landowners are not responsible, with problems occurring from the general public or people not following laws, such as not leashing pets or trespassing.

In such cases, “We work with landowners to mitigate the problems, rather than try to prosecute them,” 

Mi­sa­ki said.

DLNR has worked with landowners in the Laie Point area on the dog problem “and the landowners have been very responsive in trying to help us,” he said.

However, loose dogs roaming the area continue to be the biggest threat to nesting seabirds.

At this point, DLNR sees “outreach and education” on the problem of free-roaming dogs as the key to preventing further attacks.

“We have numerous information materials to educate the public on the issues affecting seabird populations,” Misaki said. “The public and users of these areas need to follow basic rules and keep dogs tied up or leashed, not only to protect seabirds, (but also) to protect all other users and wildlife in these areas.”

For more information, see www.hawaiioirc.org/OIRC-ISLETS.htm and www.state.hi.us/dlnr/dofaw/cwcs/Conservation_need.htm.

Question: Why is there a request for cash to renew a state ID card? It seems strange to me, because cash could go “missing” with this procedure.

Answer:  You can use a credit card if you apply for a state ID card online (https://stateid.ehawaii.gov).

The credit card service is provided by the state’s Web portal vendor, but is not available at the state ID card office, said Liane Moriyama, administrator of the Hawaii Criminal Justice Center, who oversees the ID office.

Expanding the credit card option currently is not in the works. “At the present time, all other applicants must pay in cash,” Moriyama said.

Regarding safety, she said there are “significant checks and balances in place because we do handle cash daily.”

Mahalo

To the dedicated crew at Byron’s Drive-in. My son thought he might have left his expensive cell phone there after getting something to eat before catching a flight at Honolulu Airport. I called to ask if anyone found it. No one had. But a half hour later, they called to say the phone was located. We were relieved and grateful! —– Richard

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