For the first time in years, the alala, a rare species of crow native to Hawaii, has been released back into the wild after going extinct there in 2002. This reintroduction takes place in Maui's remote forest, free of predators like hawks. A breeding program had maintained the species in captivity, but challenges remain for their survival due to habitat loss and other threats. Biologists are hopeful that the current five released birds will thrive, as Hawaii faces a significant number of endangered species needing conservation efforts.
"We need a conservation win in Hawaii, we really do," says Hanna Mounce, manager of the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project, which helped release the birds.
"The fact that this release has actually happened and that these birds, at least for now, are doing extremely well, is so exciting."
Hawaii has more endangered species than any other state, with many being brought into captivity to stave off extinction.
A group released on Hawaii's Big Island was preyed upon by hawks, complicating efforts to return alala to their natural habitat.
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