Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 26, Number 3, 1 April 2009 — ʻALAE ʻULA HATCH AT WAIMEA VALLEY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

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ʻALAE ʻULA HATCH AT WAIMEA VALLEY

Three 'alae 'ula chicks hatched at Waimea Valley, O'ahu, last month, adding to an endangered populahon of less than 1 ,000. In the legend of Māui, the endemic 'alae 'ula was said to have held the secret of fire from humans, revealing it only when the demigod Māui attempted to strangle the bird. As punishment, Māui burned the 'alae 'ula with coals from the fire, henee the 'alae 'ula's red-colored shield on its forehead. The 1 ,000 'alae 'ula living today are spread between wetland habitats on O'ahu and Kaua'i. - Photo: Courtesy of Waimea I /alley