When it comes to information on the early years of the captive `alala program, there is a virtual black hole in the official record. When Barbara Lee was dismissed by the Board, she took with her all the daily log … Continued
In 1976, the same year that `alala were transferred to Pohakuloa, one Barbara Churchill began working at the facility as a volunteer. By January 1977, she had begun to assist in their feeding. Her ties to the captive propagation program … Continued
On June 11, 1988, Ho`oku hatched at the Olinda Endangered Species Facility. The chick is the offspring of Lu`ukia, an 11-year-old female, and Kalani, a 7-year-old male. Kalani is also the son of Lu`ukia, making Lu`ukia both mother and grandmother … Continued
Despite a long record of non-cooperation on the `alala program, McCandless Ranch recently signed an agreement with the state that will provide the ranch with a federal subsidy of about $122,000. The agreement calls for the ranch to plant some … Continued
McCandless Ranch is vast, extending from the coast land south of Kailua-Kona to well up the slopes of Mauna Loa. Altogether, it covers more than 90,000 acres — nearly 150 square miles – and includes land owned in fee by … Continued
One of the most heated aspects of the debate over saving the `alala has centered on the perception of a conflict between property rights and federal and state laws protecting endangered species. Constitutional protections against illegal searches and seizures of … Continued
MVP does not mean most valuable player — at least not in the parlance of scientists concerned with saving endangered species. To them, the initials stand for minimum viable population, or the number of members of a given species absolutely … Continued
“I arrived on the slopes of North Kona about 3500 feet elevation late on the afternoon of June 18… At twilight… I heard repeated calling in a location I had not particularly associated with crow activity before. Upon investigation, I … Continued