How Aerial Efforts will be Successful to Control Avian Malaria in Hawaii in 2025?
By: Garden Isle Explorers Team Updated:
Hawaii launches a bold mission that continues in 2025 to control avian malaria in Hawaii. Main aim is to protect its endangered honeycreepers from extinction. This innovative aerial campaign uses cutting-edge techniques, including drone dispersal and biological solutions, to target mosquitoes responsible for spreading the disease. In this blog, you’ll learn about the science behind these efforts.
Hawaii, as it stands in 2025, is strengthening its position in the fight against avian malaria, a disease that stands in dire threat to the existence of its native birds including the highly valued honeycreepers among others. To control avian malaria spreading mosquitoes is extremely important in Hawaii, for the survival of its birds.
At the epicenter of this effort are advanced techniques of controlling mosquitoes, like the BTi and IIT as Aerial Techniques. These specialists aim to decrease the number of mosquitoes that transmit such a disease. But are these high-tech solutions achieving their purpose of saving the vulnerable environments of Hawaii?
Hawaii’s Alakaʻi Wilderness Preserve protects several forest birds that have become some of the rarest species in existence. The ‘Akikiki and ‘Akeke’e honeycreepers together with other honeycreepers experience severe population decline caused by avian malaria transmitted by invasive mosquitoes.
To address this increasing problem the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Forestry & Wildlife together with the Kauaʻi Forest Bird Recovery Project executes significant mosquito control operations across the region.
Let us explore the achievements and shortcomings of these modern approaches targeted at protecting the unique birds of Hawaii.
Hawaiian avian malaria[1] is a mosquito-borne disease spreading fast and has threatened the birds of Hawaii, including endemic birds that cannot develop immunity to the disease. A disease caused by a parasite transmitted by a mosquito has proved extremely calamitous to many species of native Hawaiian forest birds.
The strategy now implements Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) airborne application as a natural bacterial control that kills only mosquito larvae.
Bti serves as a safe and potent mosquito control procedure which experts have used in organic farming during the past three decades. Bti specifically kills blackfly and mosquito larvae without affecting any other insects or wildlife together with humans.
The Alakaʻi Wilderness hosting thousands of hectares exceeds human capabilities when it comes to manual Bti distribution in water bodies. Aerial spraying techniques with helicopter-mounted sprayers achieve adequate distribution of Bti throughout the forest floor in order to effectively destroy mosquito larvae.
The successful implementation of this project across 270 acres proved its effectiveness thus leading to the expansion into an additional 1,000 acres in the mid-Koaie drainage.
Future protection against avian malaria will be achieved by increased operational efforts which begin in June 2024 and continue through June 2025.
Planned aerial operations will occur every Saturday during the time span of 7 AM to 1 PM while additional Sunday flights are reserved as backups. The planned operations could face delays due to weather conditions together with operational constraints.
Conservationists have officially released specially treated mosquitoes as part of an unprecedented conservation approach to stop avian malaria from spreading in Hawai‘i’s endangered honeycreepers.
If deployed successfully this new program allows Wolbachia-infected male mosquitoes to defeat wild female mosquitoes during mating thus blocking their ability to reproduce. This initiative works to decrease mosquito numbers because it protects endangered birds such as the ‘Akikiki and ‘Akeke‘e which face extinction due to the disease.
It is an illness caused by a parasite that is spread through the bite of a mosquito and has been particularly disastrous to many native Hawaiian forest bird species.
Impact of Avian Malaria in Hawaii on the Akikiki and Akeke’e
Today, Hawaiian honeycreepers (including the Akikiki and Akeke’e birds) are among the most endangered native birds of Kauai Hawaii. Avian malaria has not just affected but wiped them out. The two species are native to the island of Kaua‘i, but their population has reduced significantly due to exposure to the deadly parasite transmitted by mosquitoes.
The natural equilibrium of Kaua’i’s native forests is destabilized by avian malaria. The Akikiki, for example, has been estimated to be fewer than 500 individuals, and researchers are doing their best to make sure that species remains intact.
These birds are very important pollinators of native plants and also control balance in Kauai ecosystems.
Plan to Eradicate Mosquitoes That Transmit Avian Malaria in Hawaii
This massive conservation program was launched and continued in 2025 to eradicate avian malaria. This project, which primarily targets the mosquitoes responsible for spreading avian malaria, involves two key tools: The two approaches Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (BTi) and the Incompatible Insect Technique (IIT).
BTi is a bacteria found in nature. This bacterium is not harmful for any invertebrates like fishes and birds. It is lethal to mosquito larvae, so they cannot develop into adults. BTi has been applied all over the world to control mosquitoes and does not harm humans or animals. Currently, in Kaua‘i, helicopters are being used to spray BTi over the identified habitats of the Akikiki and other endangered species.
The IIT method entails the release of male mosquitoes treated with a bacterium that makes them incapable of reproducing. Whenever these males mate with the wild females, the eggs do not hatch, thus controlling the growth of mosquitoes in the long run. Together, these two methods are designed to reduce the mosquito population and help Hawaii’s native birds stand a fighting chance.
Targets of the Project
The main aims of the project are to control mosquito breeding in important bird areas, especially the Alaka‘i Plateau of Kaua‘i, decrease the transmission of avian malaria overall, and increase the survival of endangered bird species such as Akikiki and ackee. Another goal is to avoid transmission of the disease to other islands, such as Maui, where these approaches are planned to be applied in 2025.
Do the Targets to Control Avian Malaria-Spreading Mosquitoes Succeed?
Looking at the efforts on Kaua‘i, more progress has been made than indicated here as of 2024. The BTi has been used, and it was noted that after the insecticide is applied, there is a reduction in the number of mosquito larvae in the area. In some areas of the Alaka‘i Plateau, the project team reported that this had reduced mosquitoes there by about 90 %.
But the fight is not over yet. Although the number of mosquitoes is low, avian malaria is still a danger to the akikiki and other endangered species. To remain sustainable in the long run, mosquito control must continue throughout the year and the project extended to other islands, such as Maui. Using BTi and IIT is the key to combating avian malaria, but only time will tell if these methods will be effective.
Past Update in the Last Quarter of the Year 2024
The next phase of the BTi application is currently being implemented in Kaua‘i, with Maui following in 2025 if funding and public support persist. The conservationists are in touch with the Department of Land and Natural Resources for funding and awareness about the necessity of saving Hawaii’s native birds.
Observations during the last quarter of 2024 monitoring revealed that BTi applications apparently help eliminate mosquitoes. Nevertheless, avian malaria is still a threat because the remaining mosquitoes can spread the disease. The project team is considering some adjustments to the strategies, and the usage of IIT might be enhanced, whereas the frequency of BTi applications may be raised.
The IIT method entails the release of male mosquitoes treated with a bacterium that makes them incapable of reproducing. Whenever these males mate with the wild females, the eggs do not hatch, thus controlling the growth of mosquitoes in the long run. Together, these two methods are designed to reduce the mosquito population and help Hawaii’s native birds stand a fighting chance.
Many native Hawaiian birds live in montane forests, where cooler temperatures shield them from mosquitoes. However, recent temperature increases due to climate change have seen mosquitoes invade higher altitudes, thus becoming a new threat to these species. In response, the Incompatible Insect Technique (IIT) was applied to save native birds, and aerial war targets to control avian malaria were taken into action.
Bti serves as an element among multiple tools selected for mosquito control operations. Mosquito birth control also operates under the name of Incompatible Insect Technique (IIT) through Wolbachia bacterial implementation to lower mosquito populations.
The control strategies of Bti and IIT differ in their approach since Bti eliminates mosquito larvae but IIT interrupts mosquito breeding activities. The fight to prevent native bird species from extinction in Hawaii requires both these methods to work together successfully.
The Kauaʻi Forest Bird Recovery Project along with Birds Not Mosquitoes operate to share details about mosquito control activities together with ongoing research findings related to conservation methods in Hawaii.