Animal control activities are scheduled to take place on the island of Hawaiʻi this coming April to manage populations of feral goats, feral sheep, and mouflon/feral sheep hybrids. These activities will occur in the Mauna Kea Forest Reserve, Mauna Kea Ice Age Natural Area Reserve, Palila Mitigation Lands, and the Kaʻohe Game Management Area. The operations will involve both ground-based and aerial methods.
The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) has announced these actions, mandated by the federal government, to protect the habitat of the palila, a critically endangered native forest bird species with only a few hundred individuals remaining.
The scheduled dates for these control operations are April 23-24, 2025. During this period, public access will be restricted, and entry will be permitted only by obtaining a permit for animal salvage purposes.
Further information, including control activity schedules and permit request procedures, can be obtained through the DOFAW's Hilo office at 808-974-4221.