Conservation Dogs of Hawaii with Kyoko Johnson and Dr. Charles van Rees

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla and Charles speak with Kyoko Johnson about her work at Conservation Dogs Hawaii.

What are some threats that Hawaii is facing?

• Hawaii is in the middle of the pacific ocean. One of the major principles of conservation is island biology, which is how species and organisms are not able to easily get there from other places
• It cannot be “fixed” by just allowing other species to arrive, as they would be considered invasive species and the island is much more sensitive to those

Is there anything unique about Hawaii’s wetlands?

• There are some unique wetlands due to orographic rainfall from the volcanic activity
• Because there is a lot of water and a lot of sun, it’s so quick for invasive plants to take over
• 80% of the coastal wetlands were lost due to development

Why are invasive species so dangerous to Hawaii?

• The island struggles more than other places with invasive species
• On the plus side, it can be easier to square off invasive species and make safe zones

Where to find Charles: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Nature Guys

Where to find Kyoko: Website | Instagram | Facebook

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