Five Hawaiian Crows 'Alala' Mark Milestone Nearly Two Years After Release in Haleakala Forest, Maui
Five Hawaiian crows, known as 'alala, released into the mountain forests of Haleakala on Maui nearly two years ago are still living in the wild and continuing to make progress in the Kipahulu forest area, the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources announced on October 20. The development is an important milestone in the Hawaiian crow recovery effort.
The crow is a rare species endemic to Hawaii that had become nearly impossible to find in the wild. The recovery program relies on captive breeding and release to return the birds to their native forest. Every step after release is hard-won: the birds must forage on their own, avoid predators and adapt to the mountain climate and terrain. That all five have persisted in the wild for nearly two years shows the forest can support them, and that release-site selection and follow-up monitoring are working.
In releasing the update, the department reminded the public that the return of a rare species does not happen overnight, but through years of steady stewardship. Maui's forests are an important home for Hawaii's native species, and crows moving through the forest also help disperse the seeds of native plants. Staff will keep monitoring the five birds to build experience for future releases, so that the call of the 'alala becomes part of Maui's forests again.
Source: GSM·USA
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 夏威夷乌鸦“阿赖拉”。图片来源：美国鱼类及野生动物管理局 / Wikimedia Commons，公共领域。A Hawaiian crow, or ‘alala. Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service / Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
