Pulelehua
Lei Pimoe i ka `ehukai Pimoe wears a wreath of sea spray
E Kanaio puna i ke kai Springs of Kanaio by the sea
Onaona no kou `ala Sweet, your fragrance
Aloha wau ia `oe I love you . . .
Honored in this beautiful mele, Kanaio is, indeed, a special place. I Aloha Ia No `O Kanaio was written by kumu hula Nina Maxwell after she and her husband, Kahu Charlie Maxwell, visited lower Kanaio for the first time. Sonny Kuaana, was born and raised at Kanaio Beach. He showed them many special things there. He told them about Pimoe, a beautiful mermaid who enticed men with her beauty, and that Pele, in one of her jealous rages, immortalized Pimoe by turning her to stone in the eruption of 1790. Aunty Nina was so impressed with Kanaio, she wrote the song and dedicated it to Sonny.
Kanaio is rich in Hawaiian tradition and natural history. Cultural sites from the near and distant past dot the landscape. Ancient groves of wiliwili, lama, and `aiea grow there. According to biologist Art Medeiros, the scattered groves of native trees at Kanaio, Auwahi, and Luala`ilua are the best examples of native dry forest remaining on Maui. Pimoe, a prominent cinder cone, provides habitat for a rare tree form of the endangered `ohai.
Kanaio is also home to one of our most unusual native animals, the pulelehua, or Hawaiian hawkmoth (Manduca blackburni). Uncle Charlie explains the meaning of the name of this interesting animal as he learned it from his kupuna. Pulelehua is the Hawaiian word used to generally describe moths and butterflies. When flowers bloom, native speakers sometimes say “the pua is hua already,” referring to a blossom full of pollen. The powder on the wings of moths and butterflies is compared to the pollen. “Lele” refers to flying.
This magnificent pulelehua is the largest native insect in Hawai`i with a wingspan of up to 5 inches. Adult moths are grayish brown with black bands and orange spots. Caterpillars, which are almost as large as hot dogs, occur in two color forms: bright green and gray, both with scattered white speckles. Caterpillars feed on the leaves, stems, flowers, and buds of the rare `aiea, native shrubs in the genus Solanum (popolo), tobacco, and other introduced plants.
Historically, this pulelehua was known from Kaua`i, O`ahu, Moloka`i, Maui, and Hawai`i. It occurred from sea level to 2,500 feet, mainly in coastal, lowland, and dry forest. In the late 1970s, the pulelehua was thought to have gone extinct. But in 1984, it was rediscovered at Kanaio. Today, this species is known from only four populations on Maui, Kaho`olawe, and Hawai`i. The main population is at Kanaio — in the state’s Kanaio Natural Area Reserve, in the Kanaio Training Area (Hawai`i Army National Guard), and on Hawaiian Home Lands.
In February 2000, the Manduca blackburni hawkmoth was listed as an endangered species. Like most native Hawaiian plants and animals, the primary threat is habitat destruction by feral and game mammals. On Maui, feral goats and axis deer are a significant threat. The rare `aiea trees that are important to the pulelehua’s survival, are directly and indirectly affected by these non-native animals, which consume native vegetation, trample roots and seedlings, accelerate erosion, and promote the invasion of alien plants. If native species and ecosystems are going to survive, their habitat must be fenced and these introduced mammals removed.
As a result of legal action taken by concerned citizens, critical habitat for the pulelehua will be designated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service next year. Federal agencies will be prohibited from funding, authorizing, or carrying out any action that destroys or adversely modifies designated critical habitat. The Hawai`i Army National Guard trains in the core habitat for the endangered pulelehua. Caterpillars can be harmed unintentionally as military maneuvers are conducted. Accidental fires are a constant threat in this arid region. Alien plants, such as fountain grass, also could be introduced inadvertently to Kanaio from the Pohakuloa Training Area on the island of Hawai`i. Under the federal Endangered Species Act, the Guard must formally consult with the Service to ensure that training and associated actions do not jeopardize the pulelehua. The Service is authorized to condition the training to protect this endangered species, but the Guard has yet to initiate the formal consultation process.
Similarly, under the federal Sikes Act, the Guard is required to prepare a cooperative plan – mutually agreed upon by the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of the Interior, and State of Hawai`i – to improve habitat and implement projects that adequately protect threatened and endangered species on properties used by the Guard. In September 2001, the Guard released its draft Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan to fund and manage natural resources at four sites in Hawai`i over the next five years. For no apparent reason, Kanaio Training Area was not included in the draft plan, even though Kanaio is the Guard’s most biologically significant area. The INRMP is important because it dictates funding for resource protection and management. If Kanaio is not added to the final plan, it may not get the attention and resources it deserves. Also, the state needs to ensure permanent and adequate funding for its Natural Area Reserves System to protect the rare native ecosystems of Kanaio for future generations. Those of us who care must speak for the endangered pulelehua at Kanaio.
— Marjorie Ziegler
Volume 12 Number 5 November 2001
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