MANU O KŪ PROGRAM
CARING FOR MANU O KŪ (WHITE TERN)
YOUNG CHICKS
When youngsters aren’t able to be reunited, they are dropped off at our partners at Feather and Fur Animal Hospital for a quick health check before we transfer them to our facility. Once they are old enough, we send them to our partners at the Honolulu Zoo to provide a “soft release” for the bird. This soft release program is managed under the Hawai‘i Wildlife Center’s State and Federal rehabilitation permits.
When a chick is found on the ground, it is our policy to try to get the chick reunited with its parents before we step in and provide long-term care. It’s not that we don’t like taking care of these birds (quite the opposite, in fact), it’s just that we always want what’s best for the bird and parents know best. We work with Hui Manu o Kū to get chicks reunited with their parents whenever possible.
Don’t know what a soft release is? Watch the video to find out.
INTENSIVE CASES
Though most of the Manu o Kū patients we look after are orphaned youngsters, we do also treat more intensive medical cases. Here are just a recent few.
