Volunteers help protect rehabilitating seabirds at Hawaii Wildlife Center

by Kristen Okinaka | Nov. 19, 2019

Mahalo to our Hawaii Electric Light employees for volunteering their time to help the Hawaii Wildlife Center, a nonprofit that is a state-of-the-art response, rehabilitation, research and education organization exclusively for and about native wildlife.

At the Hawaiian Electric Companies, it’s our kuleana to be good stewards of the environment. Preserving and protecting our island home and all those who live here are important to us.

To ensure the safeguarding of Hawaii’s protected species including native seabirds, bats, snails, insects, and plants, we’re involved in numerous efforts across our service territories under the guidance of our staff wildlife biologist. From conducting annual protected species trainings for employees to refining operational procedures, developing infrastructure guidelines and protocols, and partnering with nonprofit, private and government organizations, our companies have taken a voluntary, proactive approach to protecting Hawaii’s endemic flora and fauna while ensuring reliable service for our customers.

For the past two years, our employees and their ohana helped clear weeds, vines and overgrowth from the Hawaii Wildlife Center in Kapaau.

For the past two years on Hawaii Island, Hawaii Electric Light employees and their ohana helped clear weeds, vines and overgrowth from the Hawaii Wildlife Center (HWC) in Kapaau to deter predators from entering the aviaries and rehabilitation yard on the 2-acre property. Mahalo to our employees for volunteering their time to help the Hawaii Wildlife Center, a nonprofit that is a state-of-the-art response, rehabilitation, research and education organization exclusively for and about native wildlife.

More importantly, HWC is the only facility of its kind serving the Pacific Islands region that can accommodate a large-scale rescue and rehabilitation effort targeting oiled, sick or injured winged wildlife. Staff care for all species of native birds and the Hawaiian hoary bat. Of the more than 70 native species cared for, 90 percent are federally threatened, endangered or of high conservation concern.

To support HWC and help promote native species, Hawaii Electric Light was among the first sponsors of the Teaching Bird sculptures in the “Meet the Honeycreepers” exhibit at HWC’s Hoopulama Science and Discovery Center. The interactive space highlights native wildlife rehabilitation, conservation, biology, and wildlife medicine. Our sponsorship of the beautiful red Iiwi sculpture helps highlight the unique Hawaiian bird that is a teacher of evolution and adaption in our islands. We encourage you to visit and learn more about the wonderful work HWC is doing for native species.

For more information about the Hawaii Wildlife Center, visit www.hawaiiwildlifecenter.org.

Kristen Okinaka is the senior communications consultant at Hawaii Electric Light Company.