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A total of 1248 hunter trips resulted in the harvest of <br />155 sheep and goats from the Mauna Kea Forest Reserve <br />and Kaohe Game Management Area during this report <br />period. Harvest data was collected at hunter checking <br />stations. Since the inception of the eradication <br />program in 1987, staff hunts, public hunting and aerial <br />shooting have removed 21,801 feral sheep and goats from <br />the slopes of Mauna Kea (Table I). DOFAW continues to <br />give hunters known locations of sheep and goat herds. <br />E. Observations and Monitoring <br />Feral ungulates, alien grasses and vines, alien <br />predators, alien insects, an alien tree fungus, <br />drought, and fire all pose serious threats to palila or <br />the mamane habitat on which they depend. Drought <br />conditions eased during the report period and high <br />survival of outplanted trees was seen in restoration <br />areas. Efforts to control fountain grass have begun in <br />the core area of the palila and will be expanded out as <br />feasible. We have continued trapping and removing <br />feral cats and mongoose from the core population. We <br />are currently developing fire control infrastructure <br />(i.e., dip tanks) and mitigation methods (i.e., fire <br />breaks) with funds ($230,000) provided by the USFWS <br />along with state fire funds, which will be completed in <br />early 2015. Controlling non-native wasps that prey on <br />native caterpillars is possible; such efforts are <br />ongoing in New Zealand, although there are no plans to <br />initiate a control program in the near term. <br />Determining the extent of, and methods to control <br />Armillaria, a non-native tree fungus that may be <br />contributing to mamane mortality, is needed. A <br />biocontrol for controlling fireweed (Senecio <br />madagascariensis) and cape ivy (Delairea odorata) will <br />also be introduced near the core to control these <br />noxious weeds that threaten the mamane habitat of the <br />palila. <br />F. Fencing Maintenance and Related Activities <br />During the report period, the ungulate proof fence <br />construction project for the remaining two sections was <br />put on hold while larger fence construction questions <br />were settled with the Department of Labor. A total of <br />