Images

Waterfall, Maui, Hawaii.

USGS scientists conduct research on the remote, rugged 'Alakai Plateau of Kaua'i.

Endangered Hawaiʻi forest bird, 'Akepa (Loxops coccineus) (male).

Endangered forest bird, Hawai'i Creeper (Oreomystis mana).

At 04:48 HST that morning, a magnitude-7.7 earthquake shook the island and generated a local tsunami that killed 2 people. Strong shaking from the earthquake produced damage at many locations on the Island of Hawai‘i. Within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, sections of Crater Rim Drive (shown in this photo) cracked, some slumped toward the crater.

While the susceptibility of endangered akepa honeycreepers to avian malaria is unknown, it is likely very high given their current restriction to the highest elevation forests on the island of Hawaii.

Many species of Hawaiian honeycreepers have persisted into the 20th century because high elevation rain forests on the islands of Kaua’i, Maui, and Hawai’i are cool enough to limit transmission of introduced avian malaria (Plasmodium relictum).

While the susceptibility of endangered akiapolaau honeycreepers to avian malaria is unknown, it is likely very high given their current restriction to the highest elevation forests on the island of Hawaii.

An endangered Hawaiian hoary bat, a species that is sometimes killed by wind turbines.