Maui’s dwindling kiwikiu to move to Mainland Short-term captive program hopes to keep birds from extinction
Thirty of Maui’s beloved parrotbill, the native kiwikiu, may be taking the biggest trip of their lives.
State officials on Thursday announced plans to save the critically endangered birds from extinction by removing 15 males and 15 females from the wild and transporting them to Mainland zoos with experience in endangered forest bird husbandry.
“It’s not meant to be a long-term captive program,” said Lainie Berry, a Honolulu-based forest bird biologist with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry and Wildlife. “It’s meant to be short term to keep the birds alive and safe until we can secure a site where they can be released safely.”
