Friday, May 3, 2013

Chapter 13 The Intermontane West


Honolulu Environmental Issues

This Chapter does not apply to Honolulu, Hawaii.  The Intermontane West "is one of the most clearly bounded physical regions discussed in this book.  It streches east-west from the western edge of the Rockies all the way west to the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Ranges and north-south from the central British Columbia to Mexico."  (Hardwick, 245)

Honolulu has an over population issues.  An increasing number of human and animal population has created a limited space in the Islands which has caused a lot of pressure.  Hawaii invasive species issues helped create preservation companies and has planted the preservation ideology in the people and government. The Governmental agricultural inspections have been trying to keep unwanted species away and has implemented some ideas and plans to help the issue.  
As man began to inhabit the islands, they brought with them the flora and fauna from their native lands. Many of these species were well adapted to their new location and began to push out the indigent species. This process was accelerated by the arrival of Captain Cook and those that followed. Today Hawaii has many endangered species and there is a continuing effort to save them. Governmental agricultural inspections at points of entry aggressively work at keeping out unwanted species. Perhaps the best example is the fact that Hawaii has no indigent snakes and the few that can be found are under continuous eradication programs.
Hawaii has few native mammals and most of the islands' interiors are inhabited by wild pigs, horses, sheep, and goats brought by early settlers.
It’s on Maui that you are most likely to see the endangered nene goose and the rare silversword plant. Haleakala is the habitat for both. Maui is also known as the best island for viewing humpback whales on their yearly migration route to their birthing grounds.
 
Resource
http://naturalhawaii.com/html/about-hawaii/67-flora-and-fauna-hawaii.html

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