Army may shoot goats to
save rare Makua plants

By Harold Morse
Star-Bulletin

It's goats against endangered plants in Makua Valley, and the Army is trying to come down on the side of the plants.

Col. Joe Riojas, division artillery commander of the 25th Infantry Division (Light), gave a brief progress report to the Waianae Neighborhood Board last night on Army plans to remove the goat population.

He said a "trial aerial shoot" from helicopters is tentatively set for some time this month.

But it has not yet been approved by Maj. Gen. James Hill, division commander, he said.

"It's very complicated to get the contract," Riojas said.

A board member remarked the goats are winning.

"The goats are still there," Riojas rejoined.

Later, he told a reporter the trial game plan is to shoot goats from the air.

Asked what kind of firearms would be used, he said that's "not for sure right now."

Efforts also are under way to herd the goats out of Makua Valley from the air, he added.

Goats have been an agenda item for months as meetings have been held to deal with community concerns, he said.

Residents have objected to shooting the goats and leaving carcasses to rot. Some have said they hunt goats for meat.

Asked how many goats remain in Makua Valley, Riojas replied: "We think there's somewhere between 50 and 70. We're just going to find out if it (the trial aerial shoot) works."

Why's that?

"They're eating endangered plants," he said. "We're kind of between a rock and a hard spot. We're trying to save the endangered plants."

It has been determined 29 types of endangered plants grow in Makua Valley. Riojas said a fence is another means of goat control.

"We're putting up a fence around Makua Valley, but it's not constructed yet -- and once it's constructed, what's in will stay in and what's out will stay out."

The fence is probably 95 percent complete, he said.

Makua Valley has been used for live-fire exercises since World War II.

Last year, live-fire training in Makua was suspended while environmental concerns continued to be studied.