AWI Aids Effort to Save Hawaiian Honeycreepers

Last summer, AWI launched a partnership with the American Bird Conservancy and Kaua‘i Forest Bird Recovery Project to save Hawaiian honeycreepers from extinction due to avian malaria, a disease transmitted by non-native mosquitoes. Thus far, we have supported multiple projects to build public support for conservation measures, including the development of a K-12 curriculum, a mobile app to help residents and visitors explore the birds’ natural history, a documentary showcasing the birds’ biological and cultural importance, and kits for public education and outreach events. Each such kit contains life-size, three-dimensional models of 10 honeycreeper species, as well as stickers and FAQ sheets, to enhance community connection to the birds.