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COURTESY OF JACKSON BAUER
The endangered Palila, found only on the slopes of Mauna Kea, perches in a mamane tree, the bird’s primary source of food.
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Staff from the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry and Wildlife will conduct trapping and hunting of feral sheep and goats in the Mauna Kea Forest Reserve and other specific areas on Hawaii island this month to protect habitat critical for the native palila bird.
The department said in a press release Friday that its “animal control activities” include the trapping of mouflon/feral sheep hybrids, as well as the hunting and/or aerial shooting from helicopters for feral goats, feral sheep, mouflon and mouflon/feral sheep hybrids.
Other areas for which permits will be issued include the Mauna Kea Ice Age Natural Area Reserve, Palila Mitigation Lands and the Ka‘ohe Game Management Area.
“Aerial shooting is required for compliance with the federal court order mandating the removal of sheep and goats from critical habitat for palila,” the department said in its press release.
The division’s trapping and hunting will be conducted May 10 and 11. Public access to those areas will be restricted and allowed by permit for carcass salvage purposes only. Carcass-salvage permits may be requested by calling the division’s Kamuela office at (808) 887-6063 from 9 a.m. Wednesday (May 3) until 10 a.m. the day before each hunting day. One permit will be issued per call per vehicle for one day only.
Mauna Kea Observatory Road will remain open.
A map of the area subject to aerial shooting is available at the Division of Forestry and Wildlife Office.
For additional details, contact the division in Hilo at 974-4221 or in Kamuela at 887-6063.
Correction: Staff from the state’s Division of Forestry and Wildlife will conduct animal control activities — including trapping, hunting and aerial shooting from helicopters — for feral sheep and goats in the Mauna Kea Forest Reserve, Mauna Kea Ice Age Natural Area Reserve, Palila Mitigation Lands, and the Ka‘ohe Game Management Area on Hawaii island on May 10 and 11. Public access to those areas will be restricted and allowed by permit for carcass salvage purposes only. An earlier version of this story and in Saturday’s paper misreported that the hunting was open to the public.