Protecting Kauaʻi's Crops from Pest Parakeets

Rose-ringed parakeets (Psittacula krameria) are an invasive species in the Hawaiian Islands, with the population exploding at an exponential rate on Kaua‘i in the last decade. This species is a voracious consumer of fruit crops including mango, papaya, guava, lychee and orange, as well as the fruits of rare native Hawaiian palms. This project will convene an expert group to evaluate recent eradication attempts and methodologies. Fieldwork will include a detailed assessment of the current distribution and population of the species, mapping of roosting and feeding zones, and a crop damage assessment. Development and testing of the most efficient trapping and removal methods on Kaua‘i will be followed by a pilot removal project in a prioritized location and completion of an island wide eradication plan.