Shame on the Hale Koa Hotel. On June 5, a major tree-trimming operation began on the southwest side of the hotel, the same as last year about this time.

I frequent the Koko at Kalia restaurant weekly and was disappointed that this particular time to trim these trees was chosen, during the white fairy tern breeding season.

I watch these birds every year and this year, there were at least nine pairs occupying those trees. When the trimmers began, the birds became frantic, flying in and out of the trees.

On June 15, the trees were badly stripped of branches. None had been marked with the typical nesting tape warning. I counted two pairs of terns with possibly a third looking this morning. The number of eggs or little ones that were destroyed is unknown because the area was blocked off and inaccessible.

Someone needs to be accountable so this does not happen in the future.

David Leatherman

St. Louis Heights

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