The endemic Hawaiian Coot, known locally as the 'alae ke 'oke 'o, is a bird of easily recognizable features. Most notable is the white frontal shield, which makes it look like it's headed off to Venetian carnival in the medico delle peste mask (while usually white, this shield can also range in color from a blue-white to a deep red). Its slate colored body sits on strong legs, cluing you in to its preference for walking and running instead of flying. The comical looking feet sport lobes instead of webbing, that help it kick through the water as well as navigate the marshy environs. It prefers freshwater, but can also be found in brackish water, where it feeds on your usual pond fare: snails, small fish, vegetation, insects and crustaceans. Nesting sites are built depending on water levels, and are often on floating platforms of vegetation, where the female lays three to ten eggs. In a little under one month, they'll hatch into mini coots. Once common, the Hawaiian coot is now endangered, primarily due to habitat loss. A good third of our coastal wetlands have been lost over the past century. Let's make sure we support efforts to protect and restore our wetlands, so they can have lots of baby coots. How nice it will be to say, "Hey, you old coot!" and really mean it. |
0 Comments
They say all good things take time, and that is certainly the case for these slow-growing native treasures: the hapu'u, or Hawaiian tree ferns. The four Cibotium species endemic to Hawaii can grow anywhere from ten to thirty-five feet tall, and yet grow mere inches per year. A "tree fern" is the term given to a group of ferns whose fronds are lifted above the ground by means of a trunk-like mass of roots. They reproduce as do other ferns by spores, found on the underside of the frond, and so require semi-wet to wet habitats. The beautiful spirals, soon to unfurl into the large and lacy fronds, are a sight to behold. Hapu'u pulu (Cibotium glaucum) is the most common of the four, its softening effect and tolerance of lower elevations making it a favorite in landscape design. It can reach heights of twenty feet or so, and the individual fronds get as large as nine feet. A bluish-green to gray coloring on the undersides of the fronds is characteristic, and the reason behind the species name, glaucum. Unfurled fronds and stalks are covered in a soft golden yellow to brown hair, or "fur" called pulu (in Taiwan, they have a related species that they refer to as "golden dog hair"). In early times, the soft pulu was used both as a dressing for wounds, and for embalming. In the mid 1800's to 1880s, it was greatly over-harvested and exported as pillow and mattress stuffing. Later still, it was harvested again, this time for its core, which was used to produce cooking and laundry starch. Fortunately, many are now aware that the tree ferns are an integral part of our forests and important to our watersheds. If we try, we're gonna get by with a little help from our fronds.
These fish know how to sell. I think of them as the neon signs of the reef, dancing and weaving their brilliant yellow and purple blue bodies in advertisement: "free cleaning, it'll just take a minute." Yup, these are the reef's tiny but efficient cleaner wrasses, procuring their food from the "skin" of other reef denizens without having to go out and search for it. They set up shop on prominent corals on the reef, and the fish queue up. Goatfish, parrotfish, moorish idols, even morays will drive on up to their station and give a little posture signal that they are ready to be serviced. Then, in moves the wrasse, plucking off an ectoparasite here, a bit of mucous or scales there (ectoparasites live on the outside of a host, as opposed to endoparasites which are internal). No wonder they earned the species name phthirophagus, which translates to "louse-eater." This reverse fast food drive-up is beneficial to both, the Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse getting nourishment and the host fish getting a free grooming and "delousing," so to speak. It is referred to as mutualism, a biological win-win situation. They'll even venture inside a moray eel's mouth for a little session of teeth cleaning, though it would be easy enough for the moray to make a meal of it. Seems that the moray and other host fish have figured out they are better served in the long run by a living, hard-working cleaner wrasse. At night these little fish, just around four inches in length, close up shop. Most small wrasses will snuggle into the sand for nighttime protection, but the cleaner wrasse sleeps in a cocoon of mucous (a behavior seen in one of their clients, the parrotfish), content with their excellent job security. Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse from Bertil Holmqvist on Vimeo. Today's post is intended to give voice to the native tree snails of Oahu, genus Achatinella. I hope you become as enamored as I am with these "jewels of the forest." Once abundant throughout Oahu, this genus of forty-one species of endemic, nocturnal snails has suffered from a "perfect storm" of events that has caused the loss of at least half to extinction, with the rest endangered or critically endangered. Those that remain cling to life on isolated ridges in the Ko‘olau and Wai‘anae ranges. They are small wonders indeed; all species are just around two centimeters long, with beautiful coloration and patterning that varies from species to species. As their name suggests, they are arboreal, but do little damage to the native trees that they prefer. Instead, they dine on a fungus that grows on the leaves, which may actually help the trees to photosynthesize. Achatinella young develop in eggs inside the mother, then are born live. They live for as many as ten years, but their reproductive capacity is low. For example, Achatinella mustelinadoes only produces four to seven offspring a year, and this occurring only after sexual maturity is reached, between ages three to five. As you can imagine, their slow growth rate and fecundity would make them a vulnerable species. Recovery would be extra tough after any event that would reduce their numbers. And there have been several. For years they were over-collected for their beautiful shells. Add to that the loss of much of their native habitat to farming and other human activities. If that isn't enough, we opened the door to one of their most dreaded predators: the carnivorous rosy wolf snail. Introduced in 1955 to combat the Giant African snail, the rosy wolf snail decided that the smaller, native snails tasted a lot better. Rats have also taken their toll on the population. But instead of throwing their hands up in the air, some have come to the snail's rescue, including The Hawaiian Tree Snail Conservation Lab, whose main goal is to care for rare Hawaiian tree snails and breed them in captivity. Nine species of Achatinella are under their loving care. Also fighting the good fight is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Oahu Army Natural Resources Program (OANRP), who are involved with the effort to build snail refuges with elaborate "exclosure" systems to keep predators out. I, for one, am grateful for their efforts to save these jewels, and for the important lesson that sometimes, big things come in small packages.
They're beautiful, they don't sting, and they eat mosquitoes - what more could you want in an insect? This is Hawaii's endemic pinao, the Giant Hawaiian Dragonfly, Anax strenuus. Found at higher elevations, this skilled hunter often scouts his way around ponds, marshes, and other aquatic habitats in search of insects, zipping around at impressive speeds and with great maneuverability. They can hover, move forward, backward, up, down, and execute sharp turns with the greatest of ease. This is due in part to the wings of the dragonfly; they can move their fore-wings and hind-wings independently, unlike bees and butterflies that flap their wings in unison. Eggs are laid in or near the water by the female, who uses her abdomen like a needle to cut into plant tissue to deposit her eggs. Such behavior of this and related dragonflies earned them the name "darners." The eggs hatch into larvae known as nymphs, or naiads, and live aquatic, carnivorous lives. How to Tell Damsels From Dragons
If you're not sure of the difference between dragonflies and damselflies, here are a few easy tips to get you started. The first thing to do is notice their flight. If they are energetic flyers, it's probably a dragonfly. Damselflies tend to perch more often and are weaker fliers. Next, observe their wing position when they are at rest. Dragonflies hold their wings out to the side like an airplane, while damselflies will hold their wings vertically, pressed together above their thorax and pointing up and back. You'll also observe that the wings or the damselfly are smaller than the dragonfly's, and are similar in shape. The dragonfly's fore and hind-wings are shape differently. The eyes offer another helpful clue: dragonfly eyes often meet in the middle; the damselfly's eyes are set apart father to the sides of the head. No matter which, both members of the Odonata Order are a delight to watch and deserve our kokua: many are endangered due to loss or degradation of habitat, and the nymphs are often preyed upon by invasive fish, frogs, and invertebrates. If you're thinking that this fantastic palm would make great shelter from the rain, you'd be spot on. The Hawaiian name for this member of the Pritchardia genus is loulu, meaning "umbrella." There are twenty or so species of these fan palms that are endemic to the Hawaiian islands, and they vary widely in habitat and height. Each island has at least one species that is theirs alone. This one is loulu hiwa (Pritchardia martii) which is endemic to Oahu, preferring mesic to wet elevations of the Ko'olau Mountains. Though slow growing, it can reach heights of 30 feet or more at maturity. Like all palms, the inflorescence, or cluster of flowers off a main stalk, splits out of a protective covering at the base of a leaf. Bees love the white flowers, which when pollinated will develop into fruit called hāwane or wāhane. They darken when ripe (hiwa) and are said to be eaten by early Hawaiians. Unfortunately, rats and other animals enjoy the fruits as well, but if you are able to get them, they are easy to germinate. Grow this palm and you'll be a fan! Today's inspiration comes from Hawaii's remarkable 'o'opu wai, the stream gobies. They are Hawaii's only native freshwater fish, and four of them are endemic - found nowhere else in the world. What makes them so amazing? Well, for starters, they are amphidromous, meaning they spend part of their lives in freshwater and part in the ocean. When the fall rains cause streams to swell, the 'o'opu go with the flow, literally, and swim downstream to spawn. The newly hatched larvae get swept into the ocean, where they become part of the plankton, and they eat, and get eaten by, other plankton. After a few months, the hinana, as they are called, make their way back to the streams, and take on a new challenge: to swim upstream against powerful currents. Some of these guys can climb vertically up waterfalls to reach the higher elevations. Gobies have been found at elevations over 500 meters! They accomplish this daunting task with some help from fused pelvic fins, which form a suction cup. Using their mouth and this special sucker, slowly but surely they make their way up the steep falls. The various 'o'opu are found in different sections of the streams. 'O'opu 'alamo'o is the number one climber, and is found in the mid and upper sections of streams. 'O'opu nopili (pili meaning to cling) are found just below them. This species was a favorite food of Hawaiians and was also used in ceremonies. It was also believed that 'o'opu nopili would help luck to cling.
On Oahu, gobies are getting hard to find. Over 95% of streams have been modified, and the introduction of non-native species such as swordtails, guppies, and catfish make them further vulnerable due to competition for prey and habitat.
photo from pacific rim conservation
Hello gorgeous! So happy to see the apapane flitting among the lehua blossoms in all his royal red splendor. Himatione sanguinea have the largest population of any of the Hawaiian honeycreepers, though you won't see them at lower elevations. Their nectarivorous life-style means that you'll most likely spot them where the 'ohi'a lehua are abundant, though the occasional insect will do as well. Apapane are found on the main Hawaiian islands, with small populations on O'ahu and Lana'i. They are endemic, meaning they are found here and nowhere else. The apapane have the highest rates of avian malaria, and this suggests their preference for higher elevations out of mosquito range.
Let's just say that Pele has a "fiery" temper, as one might expect from the goddess of volcanoes, fire wind and lightning. So when the handsome 'Ohi'a thwarted her advances because of his love for Lehua, she had to turn him into a tree. Taking pity on the lovely Lehua, the gods changed her into the beautiful blossom of the tree, and reunited the lovers. Legend has it that when you pluck the lehua blossom and separate the lovers, it will rain, signifying their tears. The 'ohi'a lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha) is endemic to the main Hawaiian islands, and is the most abundant tree of the islands. This is due in part to the many forms (polymorpha) that it can take. Dominant in the cloud and rainforests above 400 m, it can also be found at sea level, and in dry forests. 'Ohi'a lehua can grow on a variety of substrates, such as new lava flows as well as fallen hapu'u and in bogs. It ranges from prostrate shrubs to beautiful 30 m giants. The flowers also show a wide range of colors: red, yellow, pink, orange. Their pompom shape come from splays of stamens extending from the flowers, which form in clusters at the end of branches. 'Apapane, i'iwi, and a'keke'e are some of the native birds that love the nectar and help pollinate the species, as do some insects. 'Ohi'a lehua is classified as a honey tree. The flowers and liko (new leaf tips) are a favorite in lei-making. That's the translation of: Ilio holo I ka uaua, the name the Hawaiians gave to *Monachus schauinslandi, or the Hawaiian monk seal. This one wasn't frolicking in the seas however; it was hauled up on the beach for a lazy afternoon of sunbathing. We felt lucky to share the beach with this endangered mammal. With a population of around 1000, there are more giant pandas in the wild than there are monk seals in our waters. The majority of the population live in the NorthWest Hawaiian Islands, but there is a population of about 150 in the main islands. Hawaiian monk seals face threats from shark predation, entanglement in marine debris, food limitations, adult male aggression, and human actions.
*Update: May 16, 2014: Recent DNA analysis has placed the Hawaiian monk seal in a new genus: Neomonachus. According to the National Geographic website: "The new branch of the family tree, Neomonachus, means that species of living monk seals are more distantly related than previously thought—and that the stakes for saving the rare creatures are even higher." |
welcomes you to visit with the all the wonderful flora and fauna that we share this lovely aina with. Categories
All
Archives
October 2014
|