The innovative project aims to save endangered Hawaiian honeycreeper birds from extinction by halting the spread of avian malaria
June 21, 2025 | Hawaii In a mission that sounds more like science fiction than conservation, scientists in Hawaii are deploying drones to release live mosquitoes into the remote forests of Maui and Kauai. The initiative, however, is part of a desperate but innovative attempt to save native Hawaiian birds—particularly the brightly coloured honeycreepers—from extinction.
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🐦 Birds at Risk: Avian Malaria Spreading Through Invasive Mosquitoes
Hawaii’s once-thriving population of honeycreepers is in rapid decline, largely due to avian malaria, a disease spread by invasive mosquito species. These mosquitoes, not native to Hawaii, were accidentally introduced to the islands in 1826 via a whaling ship and have since flourished in the region’s humid climate.
Many of the honeycreepers, including critically endangered species like the Kiwikiu and ʻĀkohekohe on Maui and the ʻAkekeʻe on Kauaʻi, are now on the brink of extinction. In fact, 33 honeycreeper species have already gone extinct, with only 17 remaining—and many of those highly endangered.
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🦟 The Strategy: Drop the Males, Stop the Reproduction
The drones are not dropping disease-carrying mosquitoes, but lab-engineered, non-biting male mosquitoes. These males carry a strain of Wolbachia bacteria that interferes with reproduction. When they mate with wild female mosquitoes, the eggs do not hatch—ultimately leading to a crash in the mosquito population.
“This creates an invisible barrier,” said Chris Farmer, Hawaii program director at the American Bird Conservancy, which is leading the drone operations. “It stops infected mosquitoes from reaching high-altitude forests, where the last of the honeycreepers reside.”
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🚁 40 Million Released So Far
Since November 2023, the initiative—run by a coalition called “Birds, Not Mosquitoes”—has released over 40 million modified male mosquitoes into forests across Maui and Kauai. The releases are focused on areas where avian malaria is rapidly advancing.
While it is still too early to conclusively measure the effectiveness of the project, scientists remain hopeful that the strategy will buy time for these native bird species, giving them a fighting chance at survival.
📜 A History of Invasive Threats
The irony is that mosquitoes are not native to Hawaii at all. Their arrival nearly two centuries ago drastically changed the ecological balance, making native species—many of which evolved without natural immunity to diseases—vulnerable to infection and population collapse.
🌍 The Bigger Picture
This project reflects a growing trend of using genetic and ecological engineering to combat invasive species and preserve biodiversity. It also highlights the urgency of intervention in fragile ecosystems already pushed to the brink by human activity.
📌 Tags:
Hawaii, Honeycreepers, Avian Malaria, Mosquito Drones, Biodiversity Conservation, Genetic Engineering, Wolbachia, Endangered Species, Invasive Mosquitoes, American Bird Conservancy