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| Visitors observe the erupting volcano from the safe overlook in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. NPS Photo |
National Park Service law enforcement officers spotted the group just after midnight, and issued citations for violating the terms of the closure to all 14 people. The tour guide was issued additional citations for operating a non-permitted business in the park and creating a hazardous condition. All 14 were escorted out of the park.
The 44-year-old male tour guide, affiliated with the French tour company Adventure et Volcans, must make a mandatory court appearance and faces a maximum penalty of $5,000 and six months in jail. His name is being withheld as the investigation continues. The violation of closure citations are $100 each, with a $30 processing fee.
"This is a serious violation," said Chief Ranger John Broward. "Areas surrounding Halema'uma'u Crater are closed because of extremely hazardous volcanic conditions that include high concentrations of toxic gases and particulates, ongoing volcanic explosions and frequent collapses of the crater walls," he said.
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| Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory provides a legal viewing area. NPS Photo |
Halema'uma'u Crater, a 4.7-mile section of Crater Rim Drive, and sections of the Halema'uma'u and Crater Rim trails, have been closed since the most recent summit eruption began in 2008.
"Visitors need to be aware that, while much of the attention lately has been on the hazards of the 61g ocean entry at Kamokuna, the park staff remains very concerned about the ongoing hazards in the vicinity of Halema'uma'u," Chief Ranger Broward said. "Rangers will continue to monitor and take appropriate action to reduce the occurrence of risky behavior in both areas."
Since July 2016, rangers have issued 35 citations for closure violations at Halema'uma'u, and nearly 100 citations at Kamokuna.
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| Black-footed albatross practice their courting on Midway Island. Photo by Eric VanderWerf/Pacific Rim Conservation |
FIFTEEN THREE-WEEK-OLD BLACK-FOOTED ALABATROSS chicks made history by flying before they can fly. Before they could become victims to rising sea levels and storm surges, they were collected by conservationists, boxed and flown from Midway Atoll to Honolulu. They are now at their new home at James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge, on the north shore of Oʻahu. Partners on the project to relocate the chicks include Pacific Rim Conservation, Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.
The small, fluffy chicks are part of a pioneering effort to establish a new black-footed albatross colony on the main Hawaiian Islands. Black-footed albatross build nests on low-lying islands so are now at risk of losing their nesting habitat to encroaching waves.
Affectionately known as Gooney Birds, albatross can have wingspans up to 11 feet, and can weigh up to 22 lbs. The black-footed albatross, however, is smaller (with a wingspan of up to 7.2 feet) and has black plumage, a dark beak and dark feet.
“We are thrilled that the Refuge can provide a safe place and a new home for this species on Oʻahu,” said Joseph Schwagerl the Refuge Manager at the James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge. “This translocation is the first step toward creating a new colony of black-footed albatross in the main Hawaiian Islands and ensuring the albatross will be protected for future generations.” Besides a few small colonies on volcanically active islands near Japan and one colony on the small islet of Lehua near Kauaʻi, black-footed albatross currently nest only on low-lying islands in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.
“We know that sea level rise and increased storm surges are a threat to this species, and many others,” said Eric VanderWerf of Pacific Rim Conservation. “We have an opportunity to do something to mitigate that threat now, before it becomes an emergency.”
Midway Atoll, Laysan Island and Tern Island, which support 90 percent of the world's breeding population, all have very low elevations and are predicted to be highly susceptible to sea-level rise and storm surges in the coming century.
“Midway Atoll is home to one of the largest black-footed albatross populations in the world. As conservation managers, it is important we use good science to evaluate other options that might protect these seabirds into the future,” said Midway Atoll Refuge and Memorial Project Leader Bob Peyton in a statement. “Refuges like Midway Atoll and James Campbell provide the healthy habitat that black-footed albatross, and other seabirds, need to thrive.”
egg is incubated for about 65 days. Both birds incubate the egg, the male incubating more as the female leaves soon after hatching to recoup reserves used for egg-laying. The average time spent on incubating shifts is 18 days. However, mates can wait up to 38 days to be relieved, and if something happens to the mate the other has been recorded incubating for 49 days without food or water. The chick is brooded for 20 days by its parents, after which both parents leave the nest and return to feed the chick. The chick is fed regurgitated food by sticking its bill inside that of its parent. Fledging occurs after 140 days. The black-footed albatross is considered vulnerable because it is unintentionally killed by longline fishing. Instead of fishing with nets, fleets trail long lines from their ships – some lines can be over 60 miles long. Baited hooks are set at intervals, in order to snare large predatory fish, such as swordfish, tuna and halibut. But birds are also attracted to the bait, often with fatal consequences - especially for juvenile birds. An estimated 6,150 birds are killed each year by fishing fleets. It is also vulnerable to oil and ingestion of floating plastics, which reduces the space in the stomach available for food to be brought to the chick.
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The small, fluffy chicks are part of a pioneering effort to establish a new black-footed albatross colony on the main Hawaiian Islands. Black-footed albatross build nests on low-lying islands so are now at risk of losing their nesting habitat to encroaching waves.
Affectionately known as Gooney Birds, albatross can have wingspans up to 11 feet, and can weigh up to 22 lbs. The black-footed albatross, however, is smaller (with a wingspan of up to 7.2 feet) and has black plumage, a dark beak and dark feet.
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The chicks safe at their temporary indoor home at
James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge.
Photo by Lindsay Young/Pacific Rim Conservation
|
“We know that sea level rise and increased storm surges are a threat to this species, and many others,” said Eric VanderWerf of Pacific Rim Conservation. “We have an opportunity to do something to mitigate that threat now, before it becomes an emergency.”
Midway Atoll, Laysan Island and Tern Island, which support 90 percent of the world's breeding population, all have very low elevations and are predicted to be highly susceptible to sea-level rise and storm surges in the coming century.
“Midway Atoll is home to one of the largest black-footed albatross populations in the world. As conservation managers, it is important we use good science to evaluate other options that might protect these seabirds into the future,” said Midway Atoll Refuge and Memorial Project Leader Bob Peyton in a statement. “Refuges like Midway Atoll and James Campbell provide the healthy habitat that black-footed albatross, and other seabirds, need to thrive.”
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A diet of fish and squid for black-footed albatross.
Photo by Eric VanderWerf/Pacific Rim Conservation
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The chosen translocation site at James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge is high enough that they are less at risk from rising sea-levels and increasing storm surges. Additionally, birds nesting within the predator-free enclosure will be protected from non-native predators that are common in the main islands such as mongooses, rats, and feral cats and dogs.
The chicks are hand fed a diet of fish and squid and will be closely monitored by biologists for four to five months, until they are able to fly out to sea and feed themselves. Black-footed albatross chicks imprint on their birth colony at about one month of age and they will return to breed at the same colony as adults. By moving the chicks at this critical one-month period, they will imprint on their new home at the refuge. Then they will go out to sea and will stay there for the next four to five years. When they return as adults, to raise their own chicks, they will become the pioneers of a new colony.
“We won’t know if this project works until they come back and breed at six to nine years old,” VanderWerf said. “They’ll probably pick a mate from the group they came from Midway with.”
Twenty-five more black-footed chicks will be flown in from Midway each year, for the next two years.
The black-footed albatross mates for life. After fledging the birds return to the colony after about five years, and spend two years building nests, dancing and being with prospective mates, a behavior
that probably evolved to ensure maximum trust between the birds. They will start reproducing after
about seven years. Nests are simple depressions scraped in the sand, into which one egg is laid. The
The chicks are hand fed a diet of fish and squid and will be closely monitored by biologists for four to five months, until they are able to fly out to sea and feed themselves. Black-footed albatross chicks imprint on their birth colony at about one month of age and they will return to breed at the same colony as adults. By moving the chicks at this critical one-month period, they will imprint on their new home at the refuge. Then they will go out to sea and will stay there for the next four to five years. When they return as adults, to raise their own chicks, they will become the pioneers of a new colony.
“We won’t know if this project works until they come back and breed at six to nine years old,” VanderWerf said. “They’ll probably pick a mate from the group they came from Midway with.”
Twenty-five more black-footed chicks will be flown in from Midway each year, for the next two years.
The black-footed albatross mates for life. After fledging the birds return to the colony after about five years, and spend two years building nests, dancing and being with prospective mates, a behavior
that probably evolved to ensure maximum trust between the birds. They will start reproducing after
about seven years. Nests are simple depressions scraped in the sand, into which one egg is laid. The
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| Chicks could be overwashed and perish on low-lying islands with rising sea waters. Photo by Pete Leary/U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service |
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Scientific instruments
to collect climate change
and air quality data
onboard Hawaiian
Airlines. Photo
from IAGOS
|
Hawaiian’s A330 aircraft, bearing registration N384HA, arrived at Honolulu International Airport in late February after spending weeks in Brisbane, Australia, where technicians installed IAGOS instruments under its cockpit that will be attached to probes in the front-left fuselage. The probes will autonomously perform atmospheric air samples from take-off to landing and record key high-altitude greenhouse gas measurements. They will also retrieve information about icing conditions that may be useful in aircraft safety studies. The system is expected to be operational following FAA certification.
“We are honored to lend our support to IAGOS and help assess the health of our atmosphere and measure climate change,” said Captain Ken Rewick, Hawaiian’s vice president of flight operations.
“We are excited to see Hawaiian Airlines becoming a partner in IAGOS. Instrumenting commercial airliners is a cutting-edge approach and cost-effective for obtaining large amounts of high quality data about our atmosphere,” said James Butler, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Global Monitoring Division, and chairman of the IAGOS Science Advisory Board. “Scientists around the world will increasingly use data from IAGOS flights to help improve weather forecasts, climate models, and our overall understanding of the Earth system. This is a great step forward for science.”
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Probes on Hawaiian
Airlines plane that will sample
the atmosphere and
share the data with scientist.
Photo
from IAGOS
|
Based in Brussels, the European-funded IAGOS is a not-for-profit association whose members include leading research organizations, universities and weather services from Germany, France and the United Kingdom. The program observes atmospheric data to better understand transcontinental pollution and validate air quality and climate models. Its information is used by about 200 universities or institutes in Europe, the United States, Japan, South America, India and China.
A statement from Hawaiian Airlines says the company's "participation in IAGOS aligns with the carrier’s ongoing commitment to reduce the impact of aviation on the environment." Hawaiian is also investing in fuel efficient aircraft by adding 18 new A321neos to its fleet starting later this year. Last year, the airline also conducted two demonstration flights to Honolulu from Brisbane and Auckland using a series of gate-to-gate environmental best practices outlined by the Asia and Pacific Initiative to Reduce Emissions. See more at iagos.org.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.KA`U HIGH SCHOOL BEAT PARKER SCHOOL Wednesday night in boys' volleyball at the new Ka`u gym. In jayvee play Ka`u won the first 25-14 and 25-23. In varsity play, the Ka`u Trojans won, with 55-15, 25-14 and 28-4.
IN GIRLS' SOFTBALL, KA`U HIGH lost to Waiakea on Tuesday at the Pahala ball field. the final score was Waiakea 17 and Ka`u 7. Outstanding Ka`u players were Sheri Freitas and Shailei Penera who each hit singles. Pitching for Ka`u were Lei Chun Galban and Kin In.
JAZZ IN THE FOREST, Saturday, March 11, Volcano Art Center. With Jean Pierre Thoma & The Jazztones. 967-8222
SUNDAY CLAY: High Fire, Sundays, March 12 – May 7, 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. or 2:45 –5:45 p.m. at Volcano Art Center. $185/$166 VAC members plus $13 materials fee. 967-8222
KAUAHA`AO CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH in Waiohinu, will host a Turkey Dinner Fundraiser on Tuesday, March 28, from 4 p.m. -7pm. Plates can be either taken out or eaten at the church hall. There will be live entertainment during that time. Dinner plates are selling at $7 each plate, or four plates for $25. Plates will include: Kalua Turkey, Rice or Mash Potatoes, Butter Corn, Cake.
Church member are pre-selling tickets. To purchase a ticket, call 929-9997. Dinner plates can also be purchased at the fundraiser.
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| www.kaucalendar.com |
