8/8/25 – HAWAIʻI ISLAND RESERVES TO TEMPORARILY CLOSE IN AUGUST FOR ANIMAL CONTROL ACTIVITIES

HAWAIʻI ISLAND RESERVES TO TEMPORARILY CLOSE IN AUGUST

FOR ANIMAL CONTROL ACTIVITIES

Feral Ungulate Control Planned to Protect Endangered Palila Habitat

HILO, Hawaiʻi — Animal control operations will be targeting feral goats, feral sheep and mouflon/feral sheep hybrids on the island of Hawaiʻi. These efforts will take place within critical habitat areas for endangered birds, specifically the palila, on August 27-28, 2025.

Closed areas will include:

• Mauna Kea Forest Reserve (Unit A)
• Mauna Kea Ice Age Natural Area Reserve (Unit K)
• Palila Mitigation Lands (Puʻu Mali & Kaʻohe Restoration Areas)
• Kaʻohe Game Management Area (Unit G)

The DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) will conduct the operations,which will involve ground-based and aerial control methods. The federal government mandates these actions to protect the habitat of the palila, an endangered native forest bird with a dwindling wild population. Public Hunting Units A, K, and G are typically open to hunters year-round with no bag limits for goats and sheep, and the department thanks hunters for their assistance.

Even with a robust hunting program, the size of sheep and goat populations threatens our endangered forest birds and requires periodic animal control to protect our native species.

Limited access for animal salvage purposes will be allowed by permit only on the following dates and times:

• Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025 – Access begins at 7 a.m.
• Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025 – Access begins at 6 a.m.

For detailed information on control activities, schedules, salvage permit applications, and access conditions, please visit the DOFAW website or contact the Hilo DOFAW office at 808-974-4221.

# # #

RESOURCES

(All images/video courtesy: DLNR)

Legal Notice of Animal Control Activities: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/recreation/files/2025/07/LN-Mauna-Kea-Closure-8-28-25-Draft-DGS-part-1-signed.pdf

Explore Outdoor Hawaiʻi Hunting Page: https://outdoor.hawaii.gov/hunting/

Media Contact:

Patti Jette

Communications Specialist

Hawai‘i Dept. of Land and Natural Resources

808-587-0396

Email: [email protected]