April 9, 2014 - Volume 30, Issue 15
The
Molokai Dispatch T h e i s l a n d ’s n e w s s o u r c e - w w w. t h e m o lo k a i d i s patc h . co m
Since 1985
Tagging Kioea: Learning About Molokai’s Rare Shorebirds By Catherine Cluett | Editor-In-Chief
W
ildlife biologist Dan Ruthrauff stood for 12 hours in Kaunakakai’s Koheo Wetland -- blinded by wind and blowing sand -- waiting for one of the world’s rarest shorebirds to show up. In his hand, he held a string that, when pulled, would harmlessly close a net over an unsuspecting bristle-thighed curlew -- a pencil-legged, long-beaked, speckled brown bird known in Hawaii as the kioea. Ruthrauff, a biologist with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) at the Alaska Science Center, was one of three wildlife scientists waiting patiently to capture kioea last week. Their goal was to place color-coded tags on their legs, along with geolocators that will provide tracking data on the birds’ migration routes between Alaska and the Pacific Islands, before gently releasing the birds. Though similar efforts
have taken place on Oahu, this was the first kioea tagging on Molokai. The kioea is also the official bird of Kaunakakai, declared in 2011. “The value of having marked birds is you can follow migration, estimate population sizes, and follow local movements, or how birds are using habitats [on Molokai],” said Lee Tibbetts, Ruthrauff’s coworker at the Alaska Science Center. The wildlife scientists joined Molokai biologist and native bird expert Arleone Dibben-Young in a fourday effort to tag kioea on the island. While Molokai is the winter home to a maximum of 23 kioea, according to Dibben-Young, catching them was no easy task. For three days, the trio waited without a single successful tagging. They carefully laid out 12-by-18-foot nets rigged with a delicate string trig-
A newly-tagged Kioea is released with an identification code and geolocator, left. Photos by Catherine Cluett
Kioea Continued pg. 2
Molokai Says Goodbye to Island Air By Molokai Dispatch Staff
Photo by Terry Cole
O
n April 1, Island Air took off from Molokai for the last time after the company announced last month that it would end its service to the island. Terry Cole is an air traffic controller on Molokai and snapped this shot from the tower. “There were quite a few cars parked on the hill waving goodbye, and the pilot expressed his sadness about not coming back,” she said. Island Air CEO Paul Casey told the Dispatch that the company waited until it was “sure that the residents of Molo-
Fostering Future Engineers
This Week’s
Dispatch
By Bianca Moragne | Staff Writer
C
lustered around gummy bears, lasers, lenses, and bridge fragments, fifth and sixth graders from across the island dove into the world of science, technology, engineering, and math, or STEM, at Kaunakakai Elementary School’s first ever Engineering Exploration Expo last Friday. Students explored STEM career paths and discovered hands-on learning through interactive experiments and presentations by the state’s best in the field. Each fall, the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) hosts a huge exploration event for middle and high school students at the Air Force’s Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference on Maui, according to Mapu Quitazol, program manager of MEDB’s Women in Technology Project. This year for the first
Expo Continued pg. 3
kai had adequate service” before deciding to “redeploy our aircraft to another route that needs more capacity.” Island Air had eight full-time and seven part-time employees based on Molokai, the longest of whom has worked for the company more than 25 years, according to Casey. Pictured here, the fire truck stationed at the Molokai airport gave a misty salute as the final Island Air flight taxied for takeoff from Molokai. “The fire hose sendoff is often used in aviation for ‘final’ events -most often a farewell to pilots on their last flight,” said Cole.
Maunaloa Bazaar Strengthens Community
Professional engineer Claire Provan shared plans for Kawela bridge construction with students during the Engineering Exploration Expo at Kaunakakai Elementary on Friday. Photo by Bianca Moragne.
Suicide Prevention in Action Pg. 3
Why I fly with Makani Kai Ted’s a big boy, but not too big to fly with Makani Kai. “The other airlines, which will remain nameless, told me they wouldn’t take me because of my weight. I was happy when Richard said that was not an issue with Makani Kai.” Ted also has good words for our pilots, “Andy’s personable and professional. Plus the seats are clean and comfortable. It’s the best I’ve ever had.”
(808) 834-1111 | MakaniKaiAir.com $50 fare, every flight, every day | Makani Kai Air | 130 Iolana Place | Honolulu, HI 96819
The
Molokai Dispatch
P.O. Box 482219 Kaunakakai, HI 96748
Pg. 7
Ted Lavasa Molokai Resident since 2006