A new study from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa is reshaping decades-old thinking about the disappearance of Hawaii’s native waterfowl. Researchers report that there is no scientific evidence that indigenous peoples drove these species to extinction. Published in a magazine ecospherethe study challenges this widely accepted theory and introduces a broader explanation for why the birds have declined.
The research team found no signs of widespread overfishing. Rather, they point to a combination of factors, including climate change, invasive species, and land-use change. Many of these changes occurred before Polynesians arrived in Hawaii or after traditional indigenous land management practices were disrupted. The study also suggests that some waterfowl species currently considered endangered may have reached their highest numbers just before European contact, when wetland management was central to Kānaka Ōiwi (Native Hawaiian) society.
Rethinking the assumptions of conservation
“Much of science is biased by the idea that humans are agents of inevitable environmental damage and that we destroy nature wherever we go. This idea forms the dominant narrative in conservation, automatically placing the blame for extinction on the first people in a place to go extinct, i.e. indigenous peoples, in the absence of any scientific evidence to support it. “The myth that Hawaiians hunted birds to extinction is deeply rooted in Hawaii and has been taught for decades as if it were a scientific fact,” said Kawika Winter, associate professor at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) at UH Mānoa, director of the Heia National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR), and co-author of the study. “Our research not only dispels this myth, but also contributes to a growing body of evidence showing that indigenous management is the best option for native birds in a world without humans.”
This study reviews existing data while setting aside the common assumption that humans are inherently harmful to natural systems. In doing so, it provides a more detailed and balanced view of ecological history and highlights the need for more careful interpretation in conservation science.
“Science has matured to the point where graduate students are trained to challenge their own long-standing and unique worldviews,” says Kristen Harmon, lead author of the paper and recent PhD graduate in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management at the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience (CTAHR) at the University of Mānoa. “Historical ecology, our interpretation of how ecosystems change over time, influences our approach to solving global ecological problems. Integrating information from different disciplines and bodies of knowledge can produce a more accurate picture of reality, which is ultimately the goal of all scientists.”
Indigenous management and bird recovery
The discovery could play an important role in shaping conservation strategies throughout Hawaii, especially for endangered waterbird species such as the alaeula (Gallinula chloropus) and the aeo (Himantops mexicanus knusseni). Researchers say restoring traditional systems could be key to helping these species recover.
“Recent research confirms what Hawaiians have known for a long time: restoring loi (wetland agroecosystems) is critical to repopulating waterfowl,” said Melissa Price, associate professor who heads the Wildlife Ecology Laboratory at CTAHR. “If we want to transform our islands from the ‘extinction capital of the world’ to the ‘recovery capital of the world’, we need to restore the relationship between nature and community.”
This updated understanding could also help resolve tensions that exist between conservation organizations and Native Hawaiian communities, opening the door to a more comprehensive approach.
“For generations, Native Hawaiians have been criticized for causing the extinction of rare native bird species,” said Uraria Woodside Lee, who was not involved in the research project and is executive director of the Hawai’i and Palmyra Conservation Society. “This research will help us move beyond those falsehoods and help us all act together.” A bright future for our native species to thrive once again. ”
