00:02Deep into the Alakai Plateau on the island of Kauai, two species of birds, the Akekiki and the Akeke'e,
00:09are rapidly nearing extinction.
00:11With only a few nests remaining in the wild, we are determined to save them.
00:16My name is Bryce Masuda. I'm the Conservation Program Manager with the Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program.
00:21We are working with Akekiki and Akeke'e, which are two small endangered Hawaiian honey creepers found only here on
00:29the island of Kauai.
00:29Due to introduced predators, disease and habitat destruction, we are almost out of time to save them.
00:37Traveling deep into the dense rainforests of Kauai, a dedicated team is leading the charge to save these species.
00:44I would say the biggest challenge we face with these species is the really rugged and remote terrain that they
00:50live in.
00:50Very few have seen these birds, as their camouflage nests are almost impossible to find, resting on tiny branches over
00:5830 feet high in the rainforest canopy.
01:01We realized that it was going to be completely impossible for them to get out on those tiny little branches.
01:06So, my great field team came up with this ingenious system of suspending a 40-foot extension ladder.
01:13You know, it's nerve-wracking, but it's also exciting at the same time, knowing that I'm going up there to
01:18collect these tiny eggs from a wild nest.
01:21No bigger than a jelly bean, these fragile eggs are lowered into a portable incubator before the team embarks on
01:27an exhausting hike back to base camp.
01:30It's tough to keep the portable incubator steady while navigating slippery riverbeds and climbing over trees and logs.
01:37It literally feels like I'm holding the future of the species in my hands.
01:41It's not only the terrain that presents a variety of obstacles, the weather poses another great risk.
01:47A helicopter is our only feasible way in and out of the plateau, and we can't fly if it's too
01:53rainy or too windy.
01:54So, we're constantly checking the weather forecasts, talking with the pilots, and changing our flight times to ensure we can
02:01successfully transport the eggs to the temporary care facility.
02:05The first thing we do is transfer the eggs to our incubators, because we want to make sure that they're
02:10nice and warm and at the correct humidity before we do anything with the eggs.
02:15After we have incubated them for about an hour, we weigh them and we also candle the eggs,
02:20which is where we shine a really bright light through the eggs and see how they're developing.
02:24Both of these species are incubated for about 16 to 18 days.
02:29Caring for these eggs is an exact science. The keepers have to replicate the adults' incubating pattern if they're going
02:37to be successful.
02:38After they hatch, the keepers must feed the chicks by hand every hour, a first for these tiny, fragile birds.
02:45As they grow, their progress is closely monitored. We are constantly making sure they are growing at the rate that
02:52we expect,
02:53that their feathers are growing in and their eyes are opening, all those things that indicate they're healthy and thriving.
03:00This is an enormous responsibility. By working with these honeycreepers year-round, we can determine where they build their nests
03:07and when they lay their eggs.
03:08And when the eggs are collected, the birds will produce additional offspring.
03:12This cycle increases the reproductive output and allows our team to release a greater number of birds back into the
03:19wild.
03:20Extinction is forever. But thanks to the continued efforts of San Diego Zoo Global,
03:25We look forward to these tiny treasures, the Akakiki and Akakee, inhabiting the rainforests of Kawaki for generations to come.
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