Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 26, Number 9, 1 May 2009 — Moli colony missing [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Moli colony missing

The disappearance of an entire colony of mōlī (Laysan albatross) at Kuaokalā, Wai'anae, O'ahu, is a mystery. In a February visit, biologists counted 15 chicks, six nests with eggs, and 20 adults in the colony. In late March, they discovered that the entire colony had disappeared without a trace. Personnel

from the DLNR and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service searched the area to no avail. No remains of any birds were found, ostensibly ruling out predators like pigs or dogs in the fenced enclosure. The albatross are one of the few native seabird species that still nest in the main Hawaiian Islands, and are protected under state and federal law. People with any information on suspicious activities

that may have occurred at Kuaokalā between Feb. 13 and March 23 are asked to eall DLNR enforcement at 643-3567 or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service enforcement at 8618525.

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