Hawaii’s rat race
Hawaii’s rat race
In Hawaii, the only ones in the rat race are mongooses. But if the feds and state have their way, there will be no rats racing, or mongooses catching them.
There is a big flaw in the recent proposal for statewide eradication of Hawaii’s rodents and mongooses, currently under environmental review. Federal and state policy is to restore species and ecosystems that existed before Western contact. The past is considered a more “natural” state.
Here is the flaw. The Hawaiian environment has changed over time. The new “natural” is a mixture of different species from around the world, creating novel ecosystems. This is what exists in nature today.
Hawaiian ecosystems have evolved as a result of climate change, pollution, species introductions, disease, land development, and more. Eliminating introduced species, even if possible, would not turn the clock back. We cannot recreate the past. We can scapegoat rodents and mongooses, but they are really a small part of the cause of change.
If we want to save certain species, then let’s set aside zoological or botanical parks for them. Efforts to restore past ecosystems in the face of change are not sustainable, and actually attack nature as it exists today.
That attack may include aerial application of poisons that will also kill other animals who eat the poison or eat poisoned rodents, such as cats (both feral and domestic), dogs and birds, including egrets, herons, barn owls and the endangered Hawaiian owl (pueo).
Endless control will include endless use of poison, potentially impacting our watershed, reefs and marine life.
Before we poison the environment and the food chain to kill rodents and mongooses, let’s imagine that these species are part of the new, natural Hawaiian environment — because they are!
Sydney Ross Singer
Pahoa
Too many roaches
To Mr. Harry Kim, who just announced he’s running for mayor again: Bring a lot of bug spray, because cockroaches have infested the county.
And the cockroaches I’m referring to give actual cockroaches a bad name.
Clean ’em up (when you get re-elected)!
A. Yamamoto
Hilo