KAILUA-KONA — The state is heading back up the mountain for more animal control activities scheduled for dates in October, November and December.
Activities by the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife will include staff hunting, the trapping of mouflon/feral sheep hybrids and/or killing of feral goats, feral sheep, mouflon and mouflon/sheep hybrids by shooting from helicopters in flight.
A federal court order mandates the state remove the animals from habitats critical to sustaining palila, an endangered native Hawaiian bird. The DLNR maintains to do so requires aerial shooting.
Animal control activity dates are as follows: Oct. 25 and 26, Nov. 14 and 15, and Dec. 19 and 20, 2016.
Public access will be restricted to the Mauna Kea Forest Reserve, Mauna Kea Ice Age Natural Area Reserve, Palila Mitigation Lands, the Kaohe Game Management Area and Mauna Kea Hunter Access Road on those dates.
As part of the closure, the Hale Pohaku and Kilohana gated entrances to Units A and G as well as the gate behind Mauna Kea State Recreation Area will be locked and then reopened as follows:
Gates will be locked at 7 p.m. Oct. 24 and reopened 7 p.m. Oct. 26; locked 7 p.m. Nov. 13 and reopened 7 p.m. Nov. 15; locked 7 p.m. Dec. 18 and reopened 7 p.m. Dec. 20.
Animal salvage will be by permit only, and take place on Oct. 25, Nov. 14, and Dec. 19 at 7 a.m. The same access will be available on Oct. 26, Nov. 15 and Dec. 20 at 6 a.m.
Salvage permits allowing people to claim carcasses can be obtained by calling the DOFAW Kamuela Office at 887-6063. Calls will be taken from 9 a.m. on Oct. 19 until 10 a.m. the day before each control day. Each vehicle may obtain only one permit for one day only.
Names may be added to standby lists for permit access on multiple days, but no standbys waiting at gates will be afforded access to salvage.
Salvage opportunities are as follows:
Oct. 25, Nov. 14 and Dec. 19 at Puu Koohi. Those permitted must meet at Mauna Kea Recreation Area no later than 7 a.m.
Oct. 26, Nov. 15 and Dec. 20 at Puu Mali. Those permitted must meet across from the Waimea Veterinary Office on Mana Road at no later than 6 a.m.
A maximum of 15 vehicles will be granted salvage permits on each salvage day at both locations. Salvage locations are subject to change.