2021-09-19 Game Management Advisory Commission Minutes

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SM: Stanley – District 1. So why is it that the sheep and the goat goes after the bark from the trees? JBF: In Kau that was in an area with no grass – it was on lava so it’s trees growing out of lava. SM: So Mauna Kea, for example, that – you have the mamane and the goats and the sheep eat the bark – why is that happening? JBF: So I’m not – well, first of all, I’m talking about Rapid Ohia Death. As far as the mamane goes they eat the seedlings. I mean I see mamane trees \[unclear\] leaves above that. SM: The question is why does these animals go for the bark on the trees? Are they lacking water or, you know, why are they going for these trees? So if it comes down to the animals are lacking water –maybe if you put water in these areas you won’t have the animals eating the bark, right? JBF: If you put out water – well, I think they’re browsing it. I mean goats eat bark. I think they’re browsing it. Now the cattle and, again, cattle are not game animals – they’re a different issue – we do see a lot of cattle damage on trees but I had a really good day driving on Kapapala Ranch – they are grazing under the ohia forest and I didn’t see that damage in the grazed area. If you go above Kapapala Ranch where there’ll feral cattle you see a lot of damage. And now Mr. Richards could explain this a lot better than I do but it doesn’t seem that the domestic cattle that are given – cause the ranch gives them salt and water – and it doesn’t seem that the domestic cattle do the damage that the feral cattle do. SM: So that’s what I’m trying to get to is – maybe if you provide these animals something they won’t go for the bark. I mean, I don’t know. You guys are the scientists so but maybe if that’s the case then, you know, we can try and everybody live together. JBF: So providing feed and water for the feral goat and sheep populations on the mountain? SM: Not so much feed – providing supplements like maybe, you know, so they can go and lick salt blocks or something and maybe then we going get them away from those trees. JBF: Well, for goats, I really don’t know much about goat raising or goat management, um, for the cattle, I would be interested to hear what, you know, some of the people have more cattle management because we do see that difference between feral cattle and the domestic cattle that are in the forests. I don’t know anybody that is seriously proposing maintaining populations of feral cattle in the forest, though. They’re not a game animal. SM: Well… 18