The hawaii department of land and natural resources (dlnr), division of forestry and wildlife (dofaw), native ecosystem protection and management, hawaii invertebrate program requests funds (tier 1:…

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awarded $335,920 ($249,839 federal; $86,081 state) to the State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources through the State Wildlife Grants (SWG) Program (CFDA 15.634) to reintroduce the endangered orange-black damselfly (Megalagrion xanthomelas) to the island of Lānai. The project, executed in partnership with the University of Hawaii and Plama Lānai, will restore critical aquatic habitat through the creation of artificial ponds and native vegetation outplanting at a conservation site selected in consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Island Fish and Wildlife Office, and state biologists. The reintroduction effort addresses the species' extirpation from Lānai in 2019 caused by the inadvertent introduction of predatory mosquito fish and will utilize damselfly populations sourced from genetically similar populations on Molokai and Oahu. The award period extends from January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2028.

This project supports the SWG Program's primary objective of enabling state fish and wildlife agencies to design and implement proactive conservation programs for species of greatest conservation need identified in state Wildlife Action Plans. By establishing an additional population of the endangered orange-black damselfly on Lānai, the project will reduce the species' overall extinction risk while demonstrating collaborative conservation management aligned with federal endangered species recovery priorities.

The hawaii department of land and natural resources (dlnr), division of forestry and wildlife (dofaw), native ecosystem protection and management, hawaii invertebrate program requests funds (tier 1: $249,839 federal, $86,081 state) to work in partnership with the university of hawaii (UH) and plama lnai to reintroduce the endangered orange-black damselfly (megalagrion xanthomelas) to the hawaiian island of lnai. The majority of hawaiian damselflies breed in freshwater streams and coastal pool habitats, and they have been heavily impacted by loss or conversion of aquatic habitat and the continual introduction of new invasive predators to the islands. The orange-black damselfly was present on lnai until approximately 2019, when the remaining populations were likely eliminated inadvertently when predatory mosquito fish were introduced to remaining habitat. RE-establishing a critical population on the island of lnai would lower the overall risk of extinction for this endangered species. Previous studies indicate that the lnai population was genetically similar to populations on molokai and oahu, therefore orange-black damselfies can be sourced from those islands. Majority landowner and conservation partner plama lnai is highly supportive of reintroducing the orange-black damselfly to the island, and has even drafted a compliance document entitled safe harbor agreement for introduction of endangered orangeblack hawaiian damselfly (megalagrion xanthomelas) to a conservation area on the island of lnai. Should state wildlife grant funding be allocated, restoration actions will be initiated at a site selected by plama lnai in consultation with u.s fish and wildlife service, pacific island fish and wildlife office biologists, and dofaw staff. Aquatic habitat will be created using artificial ponds, and native vegetation will be outplanted across the site. The existence of an additional population of the orange-black damselfly on lnai would be a net benefit for the species, and contribute towards its eventual downlisting from the endangered species list.