Question: Twice in as many months, I've seen what I think was a pueo (Hawaiian short-eared owl) on the grounds of Iolani Palace. I didn't want to get close, but I didn't see any obvious injuries. Should I notify the state Department of Land and Natural Resources next time I see one?

Answer: Division of Forestry and Wildlife biologists and enforcement officers already had received several reports, and personally seen, the pueo on the grounds of Iolani Palace or near the state Capitol.

“;It's unusual and very special to see a pueo in an urban setting on Oahu, but this bird is finding food and shelter and appears in good health,”; said Department of Land and Natural Resources spokeswoman Deborah Ward.

If anyone sees the bird in distress, they can report it to the department, she said.

Otherwise, “;We ask that people respect and leave it alone, watch it from a distance and not feed or disturb it in any way,”; Ward said.

The pueo is considered sacred by many Hawaiians.

Although found on all the main Hawaiian Islands, the pueo is an endemic species, meaning it is not naturally found anywhere else in the world, and is listed by the state as endangered on Oahu.

It is not covered by the federal Endangered Species Act, but it is protected under state law and the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, Ward said.

Unlike most owls, pueo are active during the day, usually at dusk and dawn, and usually found in open habitats, such as grasslands and conservation areas.

They feed mostly on mice and rats but can also prey on small birds and large insects.

Ward said information about the pueo can be found on the Department of Land and Natural Resource's Web site at this link: www.state.hi.us/dlnr/dofaw/cwcs/files/NAAT%20final%20CWCS/Chapters/Terrestrial%20Fact%20Sheets/raptors/pueo%20NAAT%20final%20!.pdf.

Q: The H-1 Middle Street tunnel is a safety hazard. The lighting in the tunnel has been severely compromised due to missing fixtures and inoperative lamps. The condition is especially bad during bright sunny days when the contrast from light to darkness is extreme. It seems like you are driving in the dark for a few seconds, and it really scares me. Could you help in getting the state Department of Transportation to address this problem?

A: The Transportation Department removed all the lights on the left side of the tunnel because they kept getting damaged by large trucks, said spokeswoman Tammy Mori.

Even if only one of those light fixtures were hit, all the lights were affected.

Workers “;ended up taking out all of those lights and leaving the right side of the tunnel lights in,”; although a couple of those lights do need repair, Mori said.

Work to repair those lights is scheduled to begin 11 p.m. Monday and end around 4 the next morning. That will entail closing the right lane.

Meanwhile, a study is looking into relocating the left-side lights, such as putting them overhead or placing them on the right and projecting them into the left lanes.