Hawaii donations Seven species of endangered Hawaiian birds will be receiving more attention at the Zoological Society of San Diego's Keauhou and Maui bird conservation centers thanks to $20,000 in donations from three Hawaii foundations.
boost bird study
The money provided will fund
an intern program at 2 isle
bird conservation centersStar-Bulletin staff
The donations allow the Zoological Society to pay for housing, utilities and food stipends for 12 science graduate students, according to a release from the San Diego Zoo. The interns will be working with the native endangered birds including palila, alala, puaiohi, Maui parrotbill, akohekohe, Hawaii akepa and Hawaii creeper.
"The Hawaiian philanthropic community is supporting not only the endangered forest birds, but the training of future conservationists who will make an impact on the environment," said Alan Lieberman, Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program director. "We will be providing the training that will help to establish the conservation ethics, and perhaps even the careers, for the future decision-makers of Hawaii."
The McInerny Foundation donated $10,000, and Tesoro Hawaii and Hawaii Community Foundation both gave $5,000 to help expand and formalize the conservation intern program at both the Keauhou and Maui bird conservation centers.
For three months, conservation interns will work alongside the Zoological Society's staff at the two propagation facilities. Wild eggs are collected and artificially incubated, chicks are hand-reared, and juveniles are then released or retained for propagation.