Daredevil drone rediscovers nearly extinct plants hiding in Hawaii- see pics
W.hobdyi
The discovered W.hobdyi is a member of the sunflower also known as dwarf iliau.
It was found in Kauai Hawaii. But after the goats were introduced to the isle, the plant was grazed into near extinction.
Less than 600 individuals of the plant species were thought to be found near the Na Pali coast.
Daredevil drone to search for rare species
Nyberg works for The National Tropical Botanical Garen's GIS and drone programmes assisted an airborne drone initiative to look for rare species in 2016.
He piloted the drone within five metres (16 feet) of the region to click the pictures. He then went back to his lab to confirm the findings.
Rediscoveries
Together with the Division of Forestry and Wildlife of the State of Hawaii, Nyberg and the National Tropical Botanical Garden rediscovered three species from the Kauai that were evolved to be either extinct or locally extinct.
More discoveries on the way
Currently, the team has over 100 individuals of endangered species to be discovered.
After years of research, the drone would eventually be able to discover 5,500 species in a few months, representing over a 900 per cent increase in the plant's population.
Over 250 rare species in Kauai
According to Nyber, there are over 250 plant species that are rare and to be discovered on the island of Kauai.
Hawaii's vegetation in danger
Hawaii's vegetation is in grave danger due to invasive animals like feral pigs, habitat degradation and even landslides after severe rains.
According to a 2020 assessment by the Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for Conversation of Nature, around 10 per cent of Kauai's plant species are now extinct or extinct in the world, and an additional 87 per cent is one risk of going extinct.
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