The effects of ungulates like feral pigs on water quality are fairly well known, but management poses some difficult problems.  There are a number of diseases associated with ungulates which can find their way into streams and bays, affecting both humans and wildlife.  Large amounts of sediment and nutrients can also get washed into coastal waters, particularly after major rainfall events, causing algal blooms and blocking sunlight that corals need for growth.  Dr. Hess will help us answer the question: How can we find out if ungulates or other factors are the primary cause of these problems.?

Dr. Steven Hess has been working as a research wildlife biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey since 2002.  He currently studies many different wildlife related issues on this island, including large mammals.  Steve received his Ph.D. in Fish and Wildlife Management from Montana State University in 2002.  He spent over 300 hours in a light airplane over Yellowstone National Park studying bison in both summer and winter for his dissertation research.  Steve worked in Hawaii before that, studying Palila and forest ecology on Mauna Kea from 1994-1997.  He got a Master’s degree in Forestry from the University of Montana in 1995 after studying forest bird communities in Belize, Central America.  Steve studied bird migration and operated bird banding stations in the Northeast, Southeast, and Central America after graduating from Florida State University in 1981.  His first job in biology was to catch sharks and stingrays for a marine laboratory in Florida when he was 16 years old.

Free event. No registration required.

Mokupapapa Discovery Center is located at 308 Kamehameha Avenue next to Cafe Pesto.

(NOTE: HBWAG presentations are typically on the second Thursday of the month, but the March presentation will be on a Wednesday due to a scheduling conflict with the Mokupapapa facility.)