LIHUE — A large colony of Hawaiian uau kani, or wedge-tailed shearwaters, along Kauai’s South Shore has been decimated in a pair of attacks this summer by dogs and feral cats.
Recently, several more freshly killed birds were found in the area, suggesting that the colony is still being hit hard by the predators. At the same time, state biologists searching wedge-tailed shearwater burrows in the area known to have been active this year, found that the burrows were now abandoned, many with dead eggs inside, according to a release Wednesday from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.
In July and August, more than 80 of the native seabirds — many of them actively breeding — were found slaughtered in their nesting area. Injuries showed they were killed by dogs and feral cats.
“It appears that the entire colony in this area has been severely depleted, and it is likely that very few breeding birds now remain,” said Thomas Kaiakapu, Kauai wildlife manager for the DLNR’s Division of Forestry and Wildlife.
The wedge-tailed shearwater, also known as matori to local fishermen, is one of the more familiar seabirds on Kauai, with large concentrations of the birds seen off shore in the late afternoon as they gather to return to nest sites at night.
At this time of year, the birds are either sitting on eggs or raising very small chicks, making them particularly vulnerable to dogs and cats.
“Large feeding flocks of matori, or ‘ua‘u kani, help fishermen to locate feeding schools of tuna,” said William J. Aila, Jr., DLNR chairperson. “The birds use tuna to drive their prey, small fish and squid, to the surface where they can catch them. We ask that fishermen speak to their neighbors about keeping their dogs and cats under control so that these important friends to fishermen can survive.”
Aila said signs have been placed along Kauai’s southern coastal path asking pet owners to keep their animals on leashes or indoors.
“No matter how friendly or docile you think your dog may be, if it gets near a nesting seabird the dog will kill it — it’s as simple as that,” he said.
While this large kill of shearwaters is particularly alarming, Kaiakapu said the DLNR receives reports of mass kills of the species every year on Kauai.
“As these birds breed in dense colonies along the coast, they are particularly vulnerable to dogs that have been let off of their leashes or feral cat colonies located near the breeding areas,” he said.
