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Hawaiian wild cattle

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The Hawaiian wild cattle are a feral breed of domestic cattle[1] introduced at the end of 18th century. Thousands[2] of them are still freely roaming forested[2] areas on the Island of Hawaiʻi.[3][4][dead link‍] It was listed as "extinct" in The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, published by the FAO in 2007;[5]: 125  it is not among the cattle breeds reported to DAD-IS by the National Animal Germplasm Program of the USDA Agricultural Research Service.[6]

History

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The Great Wall of Kuakini protecting from wild cattle roaming through Kailua (expanded older wall originally built to stop pigs and dogs).[7]

In 1793 and in 1794 Captain George Vancouver gave four bulls and eight cows[3] to Hawaiian king Kamehameha I. Kamehameha placed a kapu (Hawaiian taboo), which was not lifted until 1830, on the hunting of the feral cattle .[3][4] As a consequence by 1846 25,000 cattle were roaming the countryside in addition to 10,000 semi-domesticated cattle.[4] The huge herds were destroying crops and sometimes even killing people so hunting was begun to reduce numbers of animals.[4] In 1832 Kamehameha III invited vaqueros from California, then part of Mexico, to train native Hawaiians in managing the wild livestock, which led to the development of Hawaiian cowboys - paniolos.[8][9]

The trampled dead body of Scottish botanist David Douglas (discoverer of the Douglas fir) was found in 1834 in a bullock pit on Mauna Kea. Those traps were known for catching cattle, but the possibility of murder was considered in this case.[4]

Feral cattle contributed significantly to the decline of many plant species in the Hawaiian Islands.[2]

Today the Department of Land and Natural Resources' (DLNR) Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) is involved in feral cattle eradication, organizing lotteries for special access feral cattle control.[10][11][12] The hunt is not easy as animals have, over the generations, become smaller and wild. Similarly the local feral sheep have developed longer legs.[12] Vehicles frequently hit cows congregated on roads enjoying the sun heated asphalt. The local legend of "invisible cows" on Mauna Kea originates from these crashes. Road signs warning against cows in darkness or fog are common.[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "The Public Health Information Network (PHIN) Vocabulary Access and Distribution System (VADS)". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2014. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  2. ^ a b c Loope, Lloyd L. (1998). "Hawaii and the Pacific Islands" (PDF). In Opler, Paul A.; Puckett Haecker, Catherine E.; Doran, Peter D. (eds.). Status and Trends of the Nation's Biological Resources. Vol. 2: Regional Trends of Biological Resources. Michael J. Mac - Project Director. Reston, Va: U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey. pp. 747–774. ISBN 016053285X. Retrieved 2014-07-18.
  3. ^ a b c d "Domestic Cow - Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station". Mauna Kea Support Services / Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station. 2010. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Introduction of Cattle - Hawaii History - The Paniolo". HawaiiHistory.org. 2014. Archived from the original on 11 January 2014. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
  5. ^ B. Rischkowsky, D. Pilling (eds.) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. Accessed February 2017.
  6. ^ Browse by species and country. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed May 2018.
  7. ^ A Guide to Old Kona. Kalukalu, Kona: University of Hawaii Press. 1998. pp. 19–20. ISBN 0-8248-2010-X. Retrieved 2014-07-16.
  8. ^ Fischer, John Ryan (August 2007). "Cattle in Hawai'i: Biological and Cultural Exchange". Pacific Historical Review. 76 (3). University of California Press: 347–372. doi:10.1525/phr.2007.76.3.347. JSTOR 10.1525/phr.2007.76.3.347.
  9. ^ "Mexican Vaquero - Hawaii History - The Paniolo". HawaiiHistory.org. 2014. Archived from the original on 21 March 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
  10. ^ Ward, Deborah (2013). "DLNR Plans Lottery For Special Access Feral Cattle Control In Pu'u 'O'o Area Of Hilo Restricted Watershed | Hunter Education Program". Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR). Retrieved 30 March 2014.
  11. ^ "DLNR PLANS A NEW LOTTERY DRAWING FOR SPECIAL ACCESS FERAL CATTLE CONTROL IN HILO RESTRICTED WATERSHED | Division of Forestry and Wildlife". Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR). 2013. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
  12. ^ a b Cook Lauer, Nancy (2014). "DLNR looking for more cattle hunters". Stephens Media LLC. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
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