| |
Now we add another dimension to the story. Enter the wild boar. You see, these guys like to snuffle around the forest floor, and in so doing, clear patches that then create muddy and wet wallows: perfect breeding sites for the Culex mosquito. Connecting the dots, you can see why organizations such as the Nature Conservancy are working to curb the impact of these and other feral animals, particularly in the higher elevations. Awareness of the interplay of the living and nonliving aspects of the Hawaiian forests help us to reduce "Scarlet's" malarian fever, and to provide much needed habitat for these spectacular birds for generations to come.