HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – To protect threatened and endangered indigenous wildlife across the islands, the Department of Land and Natural Resources announced proposed changes to state law on Tuesday.
In a press release, DLNR said the proposed amendments would:
- Increase protections for indigenous wildlife by prohibiting “take” of indigenous wildlife, where “take” includes “harm” or “harass”;
- Increase protections for indigenous, threatened and endangered wildlife where such wildlife live naturally by prohibiting significant habitat modification that harms or kills such wildlife;
- Protect the health and safety of indigenous, threatened and endangered wildlife by prohibiting the feeding of such wildlife throughout the state and by prohibiting the feeding or abandonment of wildlife and domestic animals on department lands; and
- Protect indigenous, threatened and endangered wildlife and their habitats by restricting the movement of injurious wildlife through prohibiting the distribution or sale of plants, equipment, or other goods that contain injurious wildlife.
Feral animals, particularly cats, are a major point of contention under these proposals.
Tracy, a regular at Kakaako Waterfront Park—which is not on DLNR land—has been feeding feral cats there for years…