« Thoughts A-Slitherin' | Main | Eating Eels: Am I a Foodie Freak? »

May 2, 2006

Hawaii: The Cat Conundrum

On our recent trip to Maui, Hawaii, Shane and I hiked up to 'Iao Needle in 'Iao Valley State Park. It was really more of a walk up a couple flights of stairs (133 steps) than a hike, but it was quite pretty. Still, it took longer to find a parking spot than it did to climb to the top of the trail and view the needle, a natural rock pinnacle standing 2,250-feet tall, surrounded by the walls of the Pu'u Kukui Crater.

Long ago, the 'Iao Needle was called by its traditional name, Kuka'emoku. The peak is known as the phallic stone of Kanaloa, the Hawaiian god of the ocean. During the late 15th century, the valley became a burial area for the rulers of Maui and O‘ahu. The remains of the chiefs were buried in secret hiding places within the valley. Later, the high peak, which has a view of Kahului harbor, was used by warriors as a lookout point.

During the Battle of Kepaniwai in 1790, Maui warriors retreated from the forces of King Kamehameha I. Kamehameha defeated King Kalanikupule and conquered the Maui army in order to unify the Hawaiian Islands. The battle was said to be so bloody that dead bodies blocked the 'Iao Stream, damming it.

After a nice picnic on the rocks above 'Iao Stream (it was nice and clear now), we were checking out the Hawaiian gardens of taro, mango, papaya, and bananas when we saw a cute little tabby cat hunting in the lush undergrowth. I pointed it out and said I thought it was a feral cat. Shane said it was probably a house cat from a nearby house. We got sidetracked checking out a bright yellow spider and promptly forgot about the cat until we headed back to parking lot.

There I noticed about nine cats were just laying on the grass, watching the parking lot. Later we even saw a cat hanging out with a pair of feral fowl. Evidently, feral cats are a serious problem in the Hawaiian Islands. According to this map of Alien Species, feral cats have invaded every major island.

Domestic cats where probably introduced back in the 1700's when ships first began arriving on the islands. Cats were often kept onboard to keep the rats under control. Once on the islands, cats thrived, feeding on the many bird species of the islands. According to the Hawaii Cat Foundation, free roaming cats are incredibly prolific. A single female can have up to 18 kittens a year. Feral kittens have a high mortality rate, but those that survive can reproduce from as young as four months of age. In other words, they reproduce like rabbits!

Today, feral cats are one of the major threats to endangered bird species of the Hawaiian Islands, second only to the Indian Mongoose.

The federally endangered Palila, a Hawaiian honeycreeper, is threatened by feral cats in their protected, but limited habitat of mamane and mamane-naio forest on Mauna Kea. Biologists have been monitoring the Palila population for years and have found that since 1998, 8 to 11 percent of monitored Palila nests were depredated annually by cats. Cat predation inhibits efforts to restore the Palila population.

...

The 'Alala or Hawaiian Crow, is highly endangered. Endemic to the island of Hawaii, this crow was once abundant in the lower forests on the western and southern sides of the island. However, by the early 1990's, 'Alala could only be found in the Kona Forest Unit of Hakalau National Wildlife Refuge. By October 1999, there were only three individuals left in the wild. A captive-breeding program was started in the 1970s, and by 1998, 24 birds had been released. However, 18 died and the rest were recaptured to protect them and preserve genetic diversity.

...

The following federally threatened and endangered native birds in Hawaii are also known to be preyed on by domestic cats: Hawai'i Creeper, Hawaiian Dark-rumped Petrel, Hawaiian Duck, Hawaiian Goose, Hawaiian Hawk, Hawaiian Stilt, Newell's Shearwater, Nuku pu'u, Large Kaua'i Thrush, and Small Kaua'i Thrush.

More At: American Bird Conservancy: Domestic Cat Predation In Hawaii

How to solve the cat conundrum is an ongoing debate. Some feel that the cat is not a native species and trapped feral cats should therefore be euthanized. Others feel that managed cat colonies of cats that are trapped, neutered and released (TNR programs) are more humane.

While TNR programs work well in the continental United States, they don't work particularly well in the Hawaiian Islands where so many endangered bird species live. Neutered cats still kill native wildlife.

Managed cat colonies are fed outdoors, attracting more cats, as well as rats and other predators, resulting in public health threats due to disease. Domestic cats can be disease vectors, from rabies to cat-scratch fever. They also carry parasites like toxoplasmosis, roundworm, and hookworm. In 2001, a woman walking her dog was attacked by a pack of feral cats in Honolulu and the University of Hawaii-Manoa campus children's center had to shut down temporarily to deal with an outbreak of fleas from a nearby feral cat colony.

Check out our Maui, Hawaii podcast - a video program that highlights this beautiful place!

Posted by sorsha at May 2, 2006 6:48 PM