Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 31, Number 3, 1 March 2014 — Hawaiian Hawk proposal [ARTICLE]

Hawaiian Hawk proposal

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is reopening the puhlie comment period on a proposal to remove the Hawaiian hawk, or 'io, from the endangered species list. Deadline to submit comment is April 14. Removing the hawk from the list was proposed in 2008 due to recovering numbers and stable population estimates over 20 years. Comments submitted previously on the proposal do not need to be resubmitted. The endemic hawk, whieh lives on Hawai'i Island, was first listed as endangered in 1967. The comment period was reopened after the service received information on how climate change, projected urban growth rates and other factors may affect the species' habitat. The Fish and Wildlife Service could decide to delist the Hawaiian hawk, downgrade the species to threatened, or withdraw the 2008 proposed rule. For information or to provide comment, go online to l.usa. gov/lgiG8hG.