Isles of Refuge : Wildlife and History of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

In __Isles of Refuge,__ the first book solely devoted to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, field biologist Mark Rauzon shares his extensive, first-hand knowledge of their natural history while providing an engaging narrative of his travels. Braving seasickness, bad weather, and biting bird ticks, he journeyed from Nihoa to Kure to study and photograph plants and animals for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: rare palms, sharks, turtles, seals, and thousands of birds--finches, terns, petrels, noddies, shearwaters, curlews, boobies, tropicbirds, ducks, and albatrosses, or "gooneys," famed throughout the Pacific for their flying prowess and bizarre breeding rituals. Isolation and access restrictions have led to the recovery of many of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands' animal and plant populations to pre-exploitation levels, but they have also resulted in the general public's ignorance of the islands and their ecosystems. Informative and enjoyable, __Isles of Refuge__ invites readers to learn more about the history and natural wonders of this invaluable resource.

In Isles of Refuge, the first book solely devoted to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, field biologist Mark Rauzon shares his extensive, first-hand knowledge of their natural history while providing an engaging narrative of his travels. Braving seasickness, bad weather, and biting bird ticks, he journeyed from Nihoa to Kure to study and photograph plants and animals for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: rare palms, sharks, turtles, seals, and thousands of birds - finches, terns, petrels, noddies, shearwaters, curlews, boobies, tropicbirds, ducks, and albatrosses, or "gooneys," famed throughout the Pacific for their flying prowess and bizarre breeding rituals.

Isolation and access restrictions have led to the recovery of many of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands' animal and plant populations to pre-exploitation levels, but they have also resulted in the general public's ignorance of the islands and their ecosystems. Informative and enjoyable, Isles of Refuge invites readers to learn more about the history and natural wonders of this invaluable resource.

Contents Acknowledgments Pronunciation of Hawaiian Words Introduction: The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands 1. Fathoming the Past 2. Life on Nihoa 3. Cromwell, Do You Copy? Over 4. Moku Manamana 5. Hōkūle’a 6. Return of the Iwi 7. The Coral Kingdom of La Pérouse 8. The Hawaiian Monk Seal 9. The Green Sea Turtle 10. Albatross—Lord of the Wind 11. The Fabric of the Sea 12. Gardner Pinnacles 13. Laysan Island 14. Utter Desolation 15. The Weed War and the Cold War 16. Lisianski Island 17. Pearl and Hermes Reef 18. Midway Atoll 19. The Battle of Midway 20. “Gooneys in the Scavvies” 21. Kure Atoll—Dark Side of the Sun 22. Recognition, Restoration, and Respect Appendix: Some Hawaiian, Common, and Scientific Names Bibliography Index About the Author