ʻAlala

ʻAlalā live as long as 18 years in the wild and up to 28 years in captivity, forming lifelong social bonds with each other. Pairs will typically mate for life producing 2-4 eggs per clutch. Immature birds remain with their parents for about 8 months. ʻAlalā are considered to be extinct in the wild. There is fossil evidence that either ʻAlalā or a similar subspecies were once found in Maui. ʻAlalā were historically documented being on Hawaiʻi Island utilizing ʻŌhiʻa dominated forests. They are an omnivorous species that has been known to consume over 30 species of native fruits and is an important seed disperser.

ʻAlalā are currently considered to be extinct in the wild. The wild population of ʻAlalā started to decrease, and by 2002 the last wild birds had disappeared. Currently, ʻAlalā can only be found within San Diego Zoo Wildlife Allianceʻs conservation breeding program, with facilities on Maui and Hawaiʻi Islands.
A conservation partnership, The ʻAlalā Project, formed and began reintroduction efforts in 2016 on Hawaiʻi Island.

The last wild birds were seen in 2002 in the forests of South Kona on Hawaiʻi Island. Factors attributed to the species’ extinction include habitat loss, predation from introduced predators such as wild cats, rats, and mongooses, and avian diseases spread by introduced mosquitoes. A conservation partnership, The ʻAlalā Project, was formed and began reintroduction efforts on Hawaiʻi Island in 2016. With increased mortality these reintroduction efforts were paused and the birds were brought back to the conservation breeding centers. In 2021 Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project joined The ʻAlalā Project and together are in the early stages of planning releases of ʻAlalā within Maui Nui.

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