In February 2026, we were excited to launched a memorial scholarship for graduate students focusing on Hawaiian wildlife in honor of the late, great Pat Conant. Pat worked tirelessly to battle invasive species and protect native wildlife, and was a friend and cherished HWF volunteer for years. Learn more about the scholarship and Pat's [...]
Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund introduces the Patrick Conant Memorial Scholarship — a $4,000 award honoring a beloved conservation entomologist by supporting graduate students and recent graduates pursuing entomology, avian biology, botany, or conservation in Hawaiʻi. Applications open March 1, 2026.
Coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB) was first detected on Hawaiʻi Island in October 2023 and has since spread to North Kona, with 220 beetles caught near Kona Airport and Keāhole Agricultural Park. The beetle breeds in decaying organic material like green waste and mulch, and detections are appearing farther from the original area, suggesting human-assisted spread through infested materials. Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund and Pōhaku Pelemaka have petitioned the Board of Agriculture to adopt interim rules requiring businesses in the infested area to follow Best Management Practices, including staff training, heat treatment of materials, and regular inspections to prevent further spread.
Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund (HWF) has been an active partner with the state DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources’ “Rapid Response” program to help remove large derelict fishing net bundles from Hawaiʻi Island shorelines since 2023.
Last week, our team at Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund joined experts from across Hawaiʻi Nei and beyond at the Hawaiʻi Predator Control and Wetland Workshop held in Kahului, Maui to share practical management expertise and help preserve our precious wetland habitats and associated native species.
The Center for Biological Diversity has filed a legal intervention opposing a proposed resort development on one of Hawaiʻi’s most renowned black sand beaches that would harm local residents and jeopardize threatened and endangered species, including green sea turtles and Hawaiian monk seals.
With funding and support from the National Oceanographic & Atmospheric Association (NOAA), Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund recently reached a major milestone in its collaborative project with the Surfrider Foundation (Kauaʻi Chapter), SHARKastics, and many other community partners. During this extensive two-year project across three Hawaiian Islands, we collaboratively hosted a total of 390 debris-removal activities and we recovered 61.0 metric tons (134,423 pounds) of marine debris!
Check out this inspiring essay from our third and final Kaʻū Wildlife Scholarship winner for 2023, Adam Dierking.
Grubs of the invasive Coconut Rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes rhinoceros) were found at a Hawaiʻi Island residence, likely transported within store-bought soil or compost products. These beetles are known for boring into unopened fronds of palms to feed on sap, eventually killing the “tree” (technically a perennial flowering plant). On Hawaiʻi Island, these invasive beetles pose a serious threat to our five endemic species of loulu palms, of which three are already designated as endangered or critically imperiled. Please help prevent the spread of these beetles in your area by reporting any sightings of grubs or beetles to the state’s toll-free Pest Hotline: (808) 643-PEST (7378).
Ka ʻOhana O Honuʻapo (with support from HWF) launch their Kaʻū Hoa Pili ʻĀina Training Program!
