Neighbor Island briefs

Advertiser Staff and News Services

MAUI

Beached dolphin is euthanized

MA'ALAEA, Maui — A female rough-tooth dolphin that beached itself on Maui has been euthanized.

Margaret Akamine Dupree, protected species program coordinator for the Pacific Islands area office of the National Marine Fisheries Service, said the dolphin was euthanized by a veterinarian from Sea Life Park on O'ahu for humane reasons after an examination showed that it would not survive.

Following a necropsy, the dolphin was buried on the grounds of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Sanctuary in Kihei.

The five-foot dolphin was found near the Kealia Beach Plaza Friday morning and was taken to the whale sanctuary for examination.

Before the dolphin was taken out of the water, a conch shell was blown and a chant was offered by Hawaiian cultural leader Bully Kapahulehua and whale sanctuary cultural specialist Joylynn Oliveira.

The chant was offered to show respect because the dolphin is considered an 'aumakua, or family god, by some Native Hawaiians, Oliveira said.

BIG ISLAND

Firefighters rescue Kilauea hiker

PAHOA, Hawai'i — A Big Island fire rescue squad assisted an injured hiker out of the Kilauea Volcano lava flow area early yesterday.

The unidentified 38-year-old woman was described by Capt. Pomaikai Wela as "hiking under unsafe and inappropriate conditions."

Eight rescue squad members took part in the evacuation of the woman. She was removed from the area on a stretcher and taken by the Pahoa fire rescue unit to Hilo Medical Center. She was suffering from leg injuries.

Her condition was not known yesterday.

Wela said the rescue was difficult "due to darkness, rain, wind, steam clouds and rough terrain."

He said a fortuitous change in wind direction allowed rescuers access in the evacuation.

The fire department did not say how the woman was injured in the unapproved night hiking trip over state-owned land near the destroyed village of Kalapana.