- The center houses about 40 ‘akikiki — a native songbird with only about five known to remain there — and about 40 ‘alalā, also known as the Hawaiian crow, which are extinct in the wild.
Amidst the heartbreaking darkness caused by devastating Maui wildfires, efforts made by one endangered Hawaiian bird conservationist and a neighbor to fight off flames which threatened nearly extinct species provide some glimmer of hope.
With around 80 birds enclosed in an effort to prevent their extinction, the Maui Bird Conservation Center, one of two in Hawaii managed by the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, aims to protect the islands’ native birds. To ensure the birds’ protection in disasters such as this one, Emily Senninger, a spokeswoman for the zoo, told New York Times’ Catrin Einhorn that the only other members of these species live at the center’s sister facility on the Big Island.
Jennifer Pribble, who lives at the Maui Bird Conservation Center, quickly sprang into action to help save the rare species from the wildfire after a neighbor woke her with the news, she recounted to the New York Times. The wildfire — which has become the deadliest U.S. wildfire for over a century — came within about 150 feet from the edge of the center’s 46-acre property.
“In that moment, our instincts kicked in and we knew what we had to do. The goal was to keep the fire from spreading toward the aviaries,” Pribble said in a statement to USA Today. “We appreciate the work of the neighbor who jumped in, and the firefighters who have been out front keeping the fire at bay so we can continue to focus on the birds.”
The entire team at the Maui Forest Bird Conservation Center are also safe, the zoo added.
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Watch video of the critical moment that helped protect these endangered Hawaiian birds.
Pribble, who serves as San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s Senior Research Coordinator in
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