Thanks to the Endangered Species Act, the Hawaiian Hawk is Fully Recovered

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today removed the Hawaiian hawk, the only hawk native to Hawai’i, from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. In the 1950s and ‘60s, the Hawaiian hawk saw a rapid decline in population due largely to illegal hunting and degraded forest habitat. It was listed as endangered in 1967 but the hawk’s populations have improved from “the low hundreds” to approximately 3,000 today – holding steady for 30 years. 

The following statement is from Jacob Malcom, Director, Center for Conservation Innovation, Defenders of Wildlife.

“The Hawaiian hawk delisting is a success story for the species and the Endangered Species Act. Kudos to the work of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists and others on the ground in helping to save the species from the brink of extinction. The Endangered Species Act is our nation’s most effective law for protecting wildlife in danger of extinction. With nearly 1 million species at risk of extinction, increased funding for the Endangered Species Act is needed now more than ever.”

In traditional Hawaiian culture, the Hawaiian hawk is believed to be an “‘aumakua” – a family or personal god in the shape of an animal. Mortals did not harm or eat ‘aumakua, and in return, the ‘aumakua would warn and reprimand mortals in their dreams, visions and calls. The hawk is also considered to be a symbol of Hawaiian royalty because of their lofty flight.

The Hawaiian hawk will now be monitored for a minimum of five years following delisting. Post-delisting monitoring ensures that all species delisted due to recovery remain secure from risk of extinction after the protections are removed.