Predator proof fence boost for Hawaii's birds

First U.S. Predator-Proof Fence Delivers on Promises - Important Seabird Species in Hawaii Producing Chicks in Record Numbers

December 2011. The first predator proof fence in the United States is producing dramatic results that may eventually lead to a resurgence in decimated seabird populations in Hawai'i. The Wedge-tailed Shearwater, which nests in the remote coastal dunes on the now-fenced Kaena Point at the north-western tip of O'ahu, has produced the highest number of chicks since the annual survey began in 1994.

14% increase in chicks
"This is extraordinary news. It has been only eight months since the predator-proof fence was installed and already, we are seeing results. This year's chick count of 1775 is a 14% percent increase over the previous high count in 2007 and the highest number ever recorded at the point. So far, the fence has done a great job of preventing bird predation by rats, cats, mongoose, dogs, and even mice," said Dr. George Wallace, Vice President for Oceans and Islands at American Bird Conservancy (ABC), the leading bird conservation group in the United States.

The project has been a cooperative effort involving Hawai'i's Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Hawai'i chapter of The Wildlife Society, and local communities.

"We are very excited to be moving into the next phase of the project now that the native species are able to exist without predation pressure and we can begin active restoration of the native species. We hope this is the first of many projects like this in Hawai'i" said Lindsay Young, the project coordinator with Pacific Rim Conservation.

Laysan Albatross
Ground-nesting seabirds in the area, which also include the Laysan Albatross, have been targets of predation by introduced mammals, with the result that up to 15% of chicks are killed each year. The predators have especially preyed on the young birds before they can fly, but they also eat seabird eggs and even attack adult birds. Despite intensive efforts to control these predators, they still pose a major threat to the survival of native species. The full moons in October and November often bring particularly devastating attacks on the Wedge-tailed Shearwater chicks as they leave their burrows for the first time at night and become vulnerable to predators roaming the area.

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