Safe Harbor Agreement for Endangered Hawaiian Waterfowl

Posted: 01-Sep-2003; Updated: 01-Oct-2003

A Safe Harbor agreement signed in December 2001 is intended to benefit two endangered waterfowl, the Hawaiian duck or "koloa" and the Hawaiian goose or "nene" ("NAY-nay"). Umikoa Ranch entered the agreement with Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources and US Fish and Wildlife Service. Ducks Unlimited, a private conservation organization, is providing essential technical assistance. Following the addition of new ponds to the property, two pairs of koloa have mated and produced broods on Umikoa Ranch. At least four koloa now live on the property.

Umikoa Ranch has committed to continuing restoration of palustrine emergent marsh wetland areas, an effort it began in 1998 as a Wetlands Reserve Program project in partnership with Ducks Unlimited. Adjacent habitat is being protected through fencing. In addition, several hundred acres of koa forest are being restored, which is expected to improve hydrological conditions for the new wetlands. Control of exotic predator species, such as mongooses and rats, and feral animals will also be undertaken. The ranch, which is managed by State Senator David Matsuura, commits to carry out these activities for a period of 20 years, for which it receives incidental take authority for 99 years.

Only about 100 to 200 genetically pure koloa are believed to remain on the "Big Island" of Hawaii, where the Umikoa Ranch is located. In coastal areas the ducks are interbreeding with wild mallards, a closely related species. It is hoped that the Umikoa site will help protect koloa from interbreeding, since its high elevation - over 4,000 feet - is not desirable mallard habitat.

When the nene (Branta sandvicensis) became Hawaii's state bird in 1957, prospects for its survival were grim. It nearly vanished during the previous century due to overhunting, habitat loss, and predation by introduced species such as mongooses, feral cats and dogs, and wild pigs. Under a successful captive breeding effort, the bird's numbers increased, and about 400 nene now inhabit the islands of Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai. In December 2001, captive-bred nene were reintroduced to Molokai under another safe harbor agreement.

Ducks Unlimited is the fourth major conservation organization to assume a lead role in a safe harbor agreement (the others are The Nature Conservancy, The Peregrine Fund, and Environmental Defense). Funding for the project is from several sources, including Ducks Unlimited and the US Department of Agriculture's Natural Resource Conservation Service, through its Wetland Reserve Program.

Umikoa ranch web site