Dofaw and partners propose to increase the recovery potential for the state and federally listed endangered UAU and threatened AO by designing new and replacing old artificial burrows and increasing…

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awarded $272,215 to the State of Hawaii Department of Land & Natural Resources (DLNR) under the State Wildlife Grants (SWG) Program (CFDA 15.634) on October 1, 2025, for a project extending through December 31, 2027. The project aims to increase recovery potential for two endangered Hawaiian seabirds—the 'ua'u and 'ao—by designing and installing new artificial burrows while replacing deteriorating existing wooden burrows. Building on successful 2023 SWG-funded work that developed ceramic burrows for the akakane, this initiative will upsize design and materials to accommodate the larger seabirds, address environmental durability issues in Hawaii's wet climate, and reduce excessive heat buildup. The project directly supports recovery actions identified in the Hawaii State Comprehensive Wildlife Strategy and the 2015 Hawaii Seabird Hui Five-Year Action Plan.

As part of the broader initiative, the University of Hawaii at Manoa received a sub-award (issued October 9, 2025) to enhance breeding capacity for 'a'o and 'ua'u in West Maui through management activities within established predator-proof fences. Additionally, the project incorporates design considerations for managing translocated seabirds from Papahnaumokukea, addressing habitat loss concerns as rising sea levels increasingly threaten successful nesting on low-lying islets and atolls. This comprehensive approach combines habitat improvement, species management infrastructure, and translocation capacity to support the recovery of these federally listed endangered species.

Dofaw and partners propose to increase the recovery potential for the state and federally listed endangered UAU and threatened AO by designing new and replacing old artificial burrows and increasing the species breeding success. This proposal builds on the results of a successful 2023 cswg funded project that developed ceramic burrows for the endangered akak. Artificial burrow design and materials will be upsized for the larger seabirds. New materials and design will address problems of burrow deterioration over time in a wet environment and excessive heat buildup in the wooden artificial burrows to be replaced. Design consideration will include creating capacity for managing (feeding and monitoring) translocated seabirds from papahnaumokukea as rising sea level makes successful nesting on low lying islets and atolls untenable. The project will address recovery actions for the species identified in the hawaii state comprehensive wildlife strategy and the 2015 hawaii seabird HUI five year action plan for the species.