– 300 – ABC GUIDE TO BIRD CONSERVATION Small Indian

The small Indian mongoose ( javanicus) is native to tropical Asia. It was intentionally in- troduced to most major Hawaiian Islands (Ha- waii, Maui, Molokai, and Oahu, but not ) in 1883, and to many Islands (e.g., , , , ) around the same time in a failed attempt to control black in sugar cane fields and other areas.

Problems: eat eggs, nestlings, and PHOTO: BILL HUBICK Mongooses kill both wild and domestic birds, causing signifi cant adult birds. Ground and marsh-nesting birds, sea- damage to poultry in and Puerto Rico. bird colonies, and other island birds have been se- verely impacted or extirpated by mongooses (e.g., Actions: Hawaiian Goose, Hawaiian Petrel, Jamaica Petrel, • Expand mongoose control programs in Hawaii. and the Jamaican Poorwill). Mongooses also pre- • Safeguard against the accidental spread of mon- date poultry causing economic damage, and can gooses to Kauai through increased biosecurity spread disease (e.g., ) to people and other efforts at ports. . • Research additional control methods.

Solutions: Trapping has been used to control mongooses in many nature reserves, including Feral Pigs Haleakala NP (Hawaii), and on small Caribbean islands, such as Buck Island in the U.S. Virgin Is- Feral pigs (Sus scrofa) are often mixes of domestic lands. pigs and wild boars native to Europe. Pigs have been introduced to many parts of the U.S. (e.g., Hawaii, Texas, Tennessee, California, and Flori- da). Small Polynesian pigs were introduced to the Hawaiian Islands around the year 400, but were probably restricted to pens. These pigs were sup- planted by larger feral hogs in 1778.

Problems: Feral pigs have voracious appetites and consume native plants, nuts, and fruits, causing ex- tensive damage to bird habitats. Pigs also predate ground nests, compete with birds for food, and disperse invasive plants. In Hawaii, pigs wallow- ing and biting open hollow tree fern stems creates areas where water can collect and mosquitoes can breed, aiding the spread of avian malaria and pox. Feral pigs can also impact habitat for ground nest- ing seabirds in Hawaii, and compete for food with Whooping Cranes at Aransas NWR in Texas.

PHOTO: JACK JEFFREY Solutions: Th e Small Indian Mongoose feeds on the eggs of ground- and The successful eradication of 5,036 fe- marsh-nesting birds, such as the Hawaiian Coot. ral pigs from California’s 61,830-acre Santa Cruz

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Island in 2006 to reduce competition for acorns with the Island Scrub-Jay demonstrates that these can be controlled on large islands. Con- trolling pigs in Hawaii is challenging due to dense forest cover and steep terrain, however, but it can be done. Areas in Hawaii have been cleared of pigs and fenced to prevent re-entry. Fencing is also used in Puerto Rico, and pig numbers have been reduced by hunting with dogs, and setting snares and traps. The main challenge facing larger scale pig eradication in Hawaii comes from the political opposition of sport-hunters. PHOTO: JACK JEFFREY Pig wallows facilitate the spread of mosquito-borne diseases that can kill the Akiapolaau and other Hawaiian birds.

America. Unregulated hunting reduced white- tailed deer from more than 20 million animals to fewer than half-a-million by 1900. The U.S. popu- lation now numbers around 30 million due to protective game laws, changes in habitat, and the eradication of large predators such as wolves and mountain lions. White-tailed deer are particularly overabundant in many portions of the eastern and Midwestern states. Black-tailed or mule deer (O. hemionus) are also native to western North Amer- ica, but have been introduced to several Hawaiian Islands, and the Queen Charlotte Islands off west- ern Canada. Axis deer (Axis axis) are native to and were introduced to Hawaii. Reindeer or PHOTO: DAN AND LIN DASURUSIN Feral pigs were eradicated from California’s Santa Cruz Island, caribou (Rangifer tarandus) have been introduced but sport hunters oppose control eff orts in Hawaii. to islands in the Aleutians, and several other deer (such as sika, and fallow) have been intro- Actions: duced to ranches, barrier islands, and other parts of • Continue and expand efforts to fence forest areas the continental U.S. and remove feral pigs. • Build grassroots support for broader pig eradica- Problems: Overabundant white-tailed deer over- tion efforts in Hawaii. browse the forest understory, creating browse lines up to six feet high, below which little leafy vegeta- tion remains. Removing understory harms native Deer herbaceous plants, prevents tree regeneration, and impacts birds that nest near the ground, such as the White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are na- Ovenbird and Kentucky Warbler. Deer introduced tive ungulates in North America, and range south to islands that would otherwise lack large native through Mexico and Central America to South herbivores can severely damage native vegetation

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