"A Culture Will Have No Culture Without Its Native Forests" WE can't be be complacent or play the blame game. If you aren't part of the solution, you are part of the problem. The endangered ‘akiapōlā‘au is a stocky Hawaiian honeycreeper (Family: Fringillidae) endemic to the island of Hawai‘i and most famous for their specialized bills, which have a long, decurved upper mandible and a short woodpecker-like lower mandible. This specialized bill allows the species to exploit the same niche occupied by woodpeckers in other parts of the world. ʻAkiapolaʻau even make woodpecker-like tapping sounds as they forage along tree limbs in search of insects. It's population is estimated at only 800 - 1900 and trending downward. The chief threats to this golden-yellow bird are habitat loss (particularly of native koa trees), predation by introduced mammals such as rats and cats, and non-native avian diseases spread by introduced mosquitoes, which restrict it to high altitudes. Global climate change will allow mosquitoes to move to even higher elevations, further decreasing suitable habitat for the ʻAkiapolaʻau and other endangered Hawaiian endemic birds such. Native birds such as the ‘akiapōlā‘au are vital to Hawaii's history. The ʻAhu ʻula (feather cloak in the Hawaiian language) and the mahiole (feather helmet) were symbols of the highest rank of the chiefly aliʻi class of ancient Hawaii. They were not just works of art, the feathered cloaks and capes provided physical protection, and were believed to provide spiritual protection for their wearers. #hawaiianstyle #featherwork #hawaiianarts #kamehameha #love #humanity #HawaiiLife #koa #miło #botanicalart #endangeredspecies #Reforestation #inspire #alohaaina #JasonMomoa #botany #KeanuReeves #hawaii #endemicplantsofhawaii #buddha #Aloha #culture #community #Corporategifts #climatecrisis #education #ecotourism #sustainability #environment #makeadifference