Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 13, Number 1, 1 January 1996 — Ke ao nani [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Ke ao nani

by Patrick Ching artist/environmentalist

Beware the brown tree snake

by Patrick Ching How fortunate we are to be able to wander through Hawaiian forests

without worrying about snakes. Snake. The word itself is enough to make the squeamish cringe. — Throughout history snakes

have acquired a reputation of being deceptive, conniving and down right evil (remember Adam and Eve?). Here in Hawai'i they are particularly unwanted. Let's not get too wound up. Snakes have their plaee in nature and are an important part of the food ehain in their native lands. I think they are fascinatingly beautiful creatures. But snakes aren't native to Hawai'i and there are many reasons lo keep them from becoming established here. One species of snake is already quite eommon in Hawai'i. It is a tiny blind snake whieh is less than eight inches long. It probably eame to Hawai'i in organic material via the Philippines. This snake eats small insects and poses little threat to Hawai'i's people or wildlife. In contrast, the brown tree snake could have a disastrous impact on Hawaii's wildlife

and residents should it become established here.

A native of Papua New Guinea, the S o 1 o m o n Islands and Australia, the

brown tree snake became established in Guam during the 1940s and has since decimated Guam's native bird populations. A number of brown tree snakes have already been found in Hawai'i. The snakes most often eome as stowaways aboard military cargo planes. The snakes thrive in tropical climates. It is at home on the ground as well as in the trees. Its venom is mildly poisonous and it eats everything from birds to small mammals. If a population of brown tree snakes were established in Hawai'i it could mean the end of many native bird species whieh are already struggling for survival. If you see a snake in Hawai'i, don't panie! Immobilize or contain the snake and eall the state Agriculture Department, 948-0145

Many of our native birds, like the 'l'iwi could be lost if the Brown Tree Snake inhabits Hawai'i. Bird art by Patrick Ching