European wild boars were introduced to the islands in the late 18th century. They turned feral and spread into grasslands and woodlands. Pigs with selective appetites prefer certain native plants. The pig, a secretive, highly adaptive opportunist, seeks and destroys native plant communities without regard for rare or endangered status. Rooting and rutting, digging and degrading, pigs eliminate endemics, and spread and fertilize aliens.
Mosquito bites infect birds with microorganisms that cause avian pox and malaria.
Hawaii's native birds, with little or no natural immunity, suffer disfigurement and death. Old songs go unsung. New voices sing a foreign verse. Hawaii's band is out of tune and playing out of time.