Posted on: Monday, February 9, 2004

Bill seeks expansion of aerial hunts of animals

By B.J. Reyes
Associated Press

Federal authorities would be allowed to conduct aerial hunts of feral pigs, goats, sheep, deer and cattle on state and private lands under an environmental-protection bill advancing in the state Legislature.

The state, in partnership with private landowners, conducts such helicopter hunts about six to 12 times a year, state Land and Natural Resources Director Peter Young said.

But under Hawai'i law, federal officials who work with the state on animal-control measures are only allowed to participate in aerial shoots when the wild animals are encroaching on federal lands.

"Since we are working in more partnerships with the federal government, through the National Park Service and other federal agencies, we just want to get the cooperative assistance from them," Young said.

The proposal passed the House Water, Land Use and Hawaiian Affairs Committee last week. A Senate version of the bill has not been scheduled for a hearing.

The advocacy group Animal Rights Hawai'i opposes the measure. "We know that Hawai'i's fragile environment face many perils, most of them resulting from human occupation," group president Cathy Goeggel told the committee. "We urge you to deny this carte blanche requested for the federal agencies to do anything they want to animals who have committed no crime and did not ask to be brought here."

Young said the aerial shoots are a means of protecting pristine environments, where "if we allow the mammals to continue to be there, they could get degraded."

He said the state has worked with environmental groups and hunting organizations on its animal-control efforts.

Typically, hunters would be allowed in environmentally sensitive areas to help control the animal population, but sometimes those areas are isolated, heavily forested or hazardous, requiring the aerial hunts.

The Nature Conservancy, in its testimony supporting the bill, noted that watershed conservation areas are growing rapidly and increased animal-control methods are needed.