Is there hope for Hawaii’s endangered honeycreepers? | WILD HOPE

Hawai’i is home to a broad, beautiful array of bird species found only on its islands - like the stunningly diverse honeycreepers, many on the border of extinction. Now, a local team is removing invasive predators, restoring habitats, and battling mosquito-borne diseases to protect honeycreepers from their latest threat: avian malaria.
More than 50 species of honeycreepers once filled the forests and mountains of Hawai’i with their songs. Now, only 17 species remain, with some placed at risk of extinction within the next few years. Avian malaria, primarily transmitted by mosquitoes, poses the most significant threat. While avian diseases are widespread globally, they only reached Hawai’i in the early 1900s. Many native birds, including honeycreepers, evolved without a natural resistance. The Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project is implementing a mosquito control technique to reduce mosquito populations, offering a lifeline for native birds a chance to raise their next generation. This innovative approach offers an opportunity to not only protect Hawaiian honeycreepers but also serve as a beacon for preserving biodiversity worldwide.
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[@theck672]

Thank you for this video! Smart people helping to save the birds!

[@mmps18]

Love Nature on PBS!!!

[@davidlape3325]

Nature on PBS❤

[@bustavonnutz]

Currently working at Kealia Pond, hopefully one day we can have forest birds here again.

[@raclark2730]

That's the spirit. If you build it they will come. 👍

[@elijahroberts3044]

Nature of TBN is a great program.

[@elizabeth53190]

So pretty 😻😍 Birds 🐦 🕊️ ❣️

[@alishademmery3581]

Gorgeous animals all animals deserve justice and protection from cruelty and destruction of their habitats

[@walkingtonature]

Nice sharing , new friend here 🎞️👍

[@peasinourthyme5722]

This series is great! And so important, to inform about progress and turning tides...

[@philipmurphy2]

Great channel 👍

[@germansojopagan7381]

Finally the most endangered species hope and optimism were theres life theres hope. Many species that were in these birds situation are now in the least concern. Bald eagle, trumpeter swan, bison both american and european, white rhino, black buck, musk ox, humpback whale, grey whale, bowhead whale, pronghorn, saltwater crocodile, common cormorant, north and southern elephant seal, black tailed wilderbeest, mute swan,sandhill crane so yeah and such progress is inspiring.

[@tosche774]

True. However, we have to bare in mind that the pivotal problem on island ecosystems such as Hawaii are invasive species. The species that you mentioned initially suffered from overhunting or habitat destruction which can be regulated better than invasive species.

[@germansojopagan7381]

@@tosche774 the tuatara, nene goose and little spoted kiwi have recovered now i completly agree that when it comes to invasive species its increadibly dificult but not imposible.

[@GabrielaSanchez-el6hw]

Thank U por this information ❤❤❤

[@mlevesque33]

Such lovely birds.

[@mrwest5552]

color graphics here really enhanced the learning / understanding. Thank You.

[@rzomg]

Good work guys n gals! 😎👌🦜🐦🐤

[@shawneldridge4465]

awesome here

[@justastaronblox5823]

I really hope this works out, thank you for spreading awareness on this.

[@jolieseering8480]

Thank you so much for sharing this vital information and thank you for all your studies 🤟

[@TroyTheCatFish]

❤️💖❤️💖

[@jurassicpark20]

❤

[@wildwhisper.]

Safe Honeycreepers😇

[@MrMerlinsMagic]

What about using something to introduce the ability for the birds to deal with the mosquitoes? Maybe using something like a crisper approach.

[@kellybraun7048]

Crisper approach?

[@RippieFarmer]

​@@kellybraun7048fancy way of saying genetic modification.

[@RippieFarmer]

Why change the birds when they have already changed the mosquitoes? The whole point of the project is to protect the birds in their current genetic form.

[@kellybraun7048]

@@RippieFarmer Thanks. And they aren’t getting rid of the mosquitoes/avian malaria completely, they’re just decreasing the mosquito population to make it more likely that the birds survive long enough to continue their species. They’re still highly susceptible to the disease without any increased resistance. All this does is give the birds time to increase their numbers. An infected bird will still die just as quickly, there isn’t time for the bird to develop any resistance or to lay eggs that might develop resistance. I wonder if they’re working on a vaccine as well.

[@jsnaruto2akapolarbear]

🐦💖💘

[@WondersofHimalayas]

Wow

[@magnusthered9635]

There’s always hope if they aren’t completely gone. There’s always options that we can do to safe them.

[@gnarmarmilla]

Thank you very much, PBS. Thank God for these people. It is heartbreaking to hear that we have gone from 53 species of these birds to only 17. I will be praying to God so that He will have mercy on us and help us stop the destruction of His precious creation.

[@user-bn5bu4xl4e]

Clever snow 27

[@jazzyheart5618]

Thank you. We still have hope

[@prineetanand4481]

Been following the decline of these amazing birds for a while. I really am praying that the mismatched Wolbachia technique proves to be successful!

[@chad9166]

"Hoi"

[@demonatemu]

what's being done about the mongooses/invasive animals/plants?

[@raclark2730]

The invasive plants also increase fire risk and intensity. After what happened there should be every effort being made.

[@catsNcode]

mosquitos is literally what accounts for most of their deaths. We're also invasive but doubt you will sacrifice yourself for birds

[@raclark2730]

@@catsNcode That's what some would have happen. We need to look after nature the best we can 100%. But also keep a firm eye on people using it as an excuse anti human hate. And they are out there.

[@raclark2730]

@@catsNcode You are not invasive you are a being of free will.

[@karyleianawildernesscapes]

They're being eradicated &/or population controlled via hunting season, fencelines keeping them out of certain areas, etc. For the invasive plants/trees, they're also being eradicated &/or controlled. & then being replaced by native flora.

[@mirkomilodilov5017]

Cute warrior 36

[@roygbiv5164]

This planet would not miss human one iota.

[@raclark2730]

Of you go then or do something about it as the > humans < in this video can be seen doing.

[@roygbiv5164]

@@raclark2730 You cannot bring back extinct species nor can you curb human greed. We reproduce like rats and expect to have enough, we are the planets worst enemies.

[@rochelle2758]

It might miss indigenous humans…

[@raclark2730]

@@rochelle2758 We are all indigenous. Its just that some forgot the old ways and the respect.

[@jocelynadolfo-cg1vm]

Please restored this birds.

[@collybeans586]

Yeah but that bird needs to move somewhere else because Mark Zuckerberg needs his Hawaii ranch 🤷‍♂

[@sixthousandblankets]

Why can't they just open a controlled breeding facility and produce a bigger population?

[@justastaronblox5823]

They do, but they have a fairly low survival chance in captivity

[@dodoxasaurus6904]

why not just eradicate the Mosquitos?

[@deatherutts]

Your worried about your specie's when you have the technology to clone drama world

[@virg0_lem0nade]

You obviously are not educated or knowledgeable about this topic, at all.

[@lynnkitty59]

Thank U for the endangered honey-creepers, I just do not need to look at your (human faces) telling us to be careful. We have billions of people to be careful of.

[@virg0_lem0nade]

....what? Really weird comment. You don't want to ever look at human faces again? 😂 That is a very bizarre paranoia of yours that has nothing to do with the topic.

[@Manjunathnswamy]

America have so much land reserve some to wildlife…

[@TheJacksnipe]

Too many people on the islands. And they are still spreading. Honeycreepers will niot be the last species disapearing from Hawaii. And this problem is not restricted to remote islands. It is a worldwide issue, just because people still make children and their number is increasing. Sorry for the truth!

[@justastaronblox5823]

What is the point of saying this? We all know this, but if we all just left the mosquitos would still be there anyways 😆

[@TheJacksnipe]

@@justastaronblox5823 You don't understand anything. This is obvious.

[@hanssolos3699]

who dis haole girl? sis if u cant say hah'vaa'ee right u just lolo.

[@garyge3204]

😂

[@stevo3938]

When an asteroid strikes earth, it will all have been a waste of time.

[@shawndickmann8215]

Honestly.....only if humans left the island chain permantely forever.

[@raclark2730]

That's eco fascism. We can do better than that.

[@shawndickmann8215]

@raclark2730 Lmao, as a global species, we're bring bio from every corner to every other corner. From ships to air travel. We can't help it, couldn't stop. That's just facts, not fascism.

[@angelwhite376]

They cross's breed with tree creepers from the uk they make nice color variations

[@jurassicpark20]

❤