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for too long. So, we're trying a bunch of different strategies, and so far, at least it seems
<br /> like, we're trying to make some progress.
<br /> What's the ideal number if there is an ideal number for the sustainable population for
<br /> Palila?
<br /> BM: That's kind of a hard question, but I would say back in the 90's there were around 3 to
<br /> 6,000 birds, so we need to get back to that number, that would be great, I would love to
<br /> see at least two populations of Palila. One in their current range and one on the North
<br /> slope and on the East slope, where they were found more recently. Yeah, ideally, we
<br /> want to see...to me if we can get stable numbers, that's the biggest thing. From there we
<br /> can start growing that population that's even better. But I would love to see at least a
<br /> thousand (1,000) preferably two to three thousand (2,000 to 3,000) Palila. Even then
<br /> more the merry, there probably used to be tens of thousands of Palila. To me there is no
<br /> real number where we have enough, but ultimately, we can get above these few
<br /> hundreds to a few thousand again that will be in a much better place.
<br /> Feral cats, what's happening to keep them in control in the Palila habitat?
<br /> BM: You'll be surprised where feral cats turn out. Pretty much from the coast to the summit,
<br /> there's just about feral cats everywhere. And that, from previous studies done, that
<br /> seems to be the main non-native predator that attacks Palila. So, they typically prey on
<br /> the nestling. But we don't know how often cats are predating on adults. They might be
<br /> more often than we realize because when the adults' birds are sleeping, they are
<br /> completely susceptible to a predator coming in to get them. So, cats are being addressed.
<br /> So, as I mentioned before,you know highlighting the expansion of predator control,there
<br /> is a much larger effort across the mountain to control feral cats, rats and mongoose. So,
<br /> the teams with the Mauna Kea Forest restoration project are in particular are really
<br /> working hard to catch as many cats, as they can and they are removing dozens of cats per
<br /> year, from Palila critical from the Palila core habitat, not just Palila critical habitat.
<br /> LT: That was our video from Mr. Mossman. Just to give us a little update. Same thing as
<br /> inside of the report. Just going forward I'm going to give my mana'o, so we can move
<br /> forward. So, starting, at the abstract, when ever I read scientific paper, I got my degree
<br /> in physics, and I was trying to get my PHD in astro physics over here, and I dropped out,
<br /> one was because of the stats that they used, so whenever I read reports like this, I don't
<br /> take the range of numbers, I take the lowest count because it's a population count and
<br /> you can not go lower. So, I don't take 742, 1 take 368 and that is just the way I do the
<br /> stats. The stats and mathematics I follow is error analysis by John Taylor. This is a physic
<br /> textbook, ummm..600 level physics over here. Umm...So, when ever I look through what
<br /> they put out, I have the same thing as Bob, when I got to the methods of collection and
<br /> algorithms they used, I noted down on page 6 there is 7 different methods and algorithms
<br /> and mathematics statistical errors they used to get the numbers they want and the data
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