Oahu Offshore Islet Seabird Sanctuaries
The majority of seabird-nesting colonies in the main Hawaiian Islands are located on the offshore islands, islets and rocks. Many of these offshore islands are part of the Hawaii State Seabird Sanctuary System. These sanctuaries protect seabirds, Hawaiian Monk seals, migrating shorebirds, and native coastal vegetation. These small sanctuary areas represent the last vestiges of a once widespread coastal ecosystem that included the coastlines of all the main Hawaiian Islands. Hawaiian seabirds today are subject to a number of threats to their survival, including predation by introduced mammals, habitat loss and degradation, and human impacts by people trespassing in seabird nesting areas.
The goal of this project is to enhance the survivorship and productivity of seabirds nesting in the offshore colonies. For these seabirds, reducing or eliminating alien predators and improving nesting habitat by removing non-native plants, and replacing them with native ones is expected to increase survivorship of all age classes and increase reproduction. Species expected to benefit from this project include the Brown booby, Masked booby, Red-footed booby, Red-tailed tropicbird, Great frigate bird, Brown noddy, Bulwer’s petrel, Wedge-tailed shearwater, Sooty tern, Gray-backed tern, Pacific golden plover, and Ruddy turnstone. In addition, our efforts may result in brooding attempts and success of presently rare species such as the Christmas shearwater, Newell’s shearwater, and Sooty storm petrel.
The following Offshore Islet Seabird Sanctuaries are covered in this project:
Kaohikaipu Islet, Kekepa Islet, Manana Island, Moku Manu Islets, Mokolea Rock Islet, Kihewamoku Islet, Kukuihoolua Islet, Mokualai Islet, Pulemoku Islet, Mokuauia Islet, Mokulua Islets, Popoia, and Kapapa Island.
