WAILUKU, Maui— An $830,000 proposal would remove feral animals such as pigs and goats from Haleakala National Park land.
People have until July 14 to provide comments on a draft environmental impact statement released June 12, the Maui News reported. Plans funded by the national park and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation call for restoring the area’s natural habitat by removing non-native plants as well as feral pigs, goats, dogs and axis deer.
The park acquired the 4,300 acres that make up the former Nuu Ranch in 2008. The draft report says this is among the island’s largest tracts of undeveloped land and is inhabited by endangered species.
“Without management and removal of feral animals within the HNP (Haleakala National Park) Nuu exclosure, other conservation activities are unlikely to succeed,” the draft report said.
Park spokeswoman Polly Angelakis said a boundary fence will start going up later this year.
Feral animals would be directed outside the fence as it’s constructed.
Animals inside the finished fence would be killed.
“Attention to humane methods of lethal control (dispatch an animal in one shot) is of high concern and priority … and is balanced with staff safety,” said the draft report. “Therefore, only highly trained, competent individuals will conduct animal control.”