Grains of Sand: A feisty Hawaiian hawk, endangered species and Aloha

Friday, April 24, 2015

A feisty Hawaiian hawk, endangered species and Aloha

A news article I saw the other day talked about a new home for an injured Hawaiian hawk, an "Io." Apparently the bird sustained shotgun wounds, maybe from a hunter traipsing about in a thick Hawaiian jungle who didn't know any better. It is said that the hawk's feistiness enabled it to survive after having been shot some three years ago.

I didn't realize that the "Io" has been declared an endangered specie since 1967 until I did some research a while ago. I thought that whoever shot the "Io" wouldn't have done so if he had recognized the bird as an Io and known that it is endangered.

The Hawaiian Hoary Bat is another endangered specie in Hawaii. It was declared only three days ago last April 22 as Hawaii's official state land mammal. I hope that it does not suffer the same fate that the injured Hawaiian hawk did because people are not aware that there are precious creatures in the wild that should not be harmed.

How many, not just in Hawaii but even world-wide, know about endangered species in their own area enough to leave them alone?

Harmony with nature is part of "Aloha." A "Kahuna," a Hawaiian elder says this:

"Aloha is being a part of all, and all being a part of me. When there is joy - it is also mine. I respect all that is as part of the Creator and part of me. I will not willfully harm anyone or anything. When food is needed I will take only my need and explain why it is being taken. The earth, the sky, the sea are mine to care for, to cherish and to protect. This is Hawaiian - this is Aloha."

We observed Earth Day several days ago. It wouldn't hurt to be in Aloha spirit and conscious of Earth Day every day.