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THE SENATE |
S.C.R. NO. |
17 |
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TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2012 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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SENATE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
declaring may 11, 2012 as ‘Ōpe‘ape‘A day in honor of the hawaiian hoary bat.
WHEREAS, the Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus) is Hawaii's only endemic land mammal. This bat, also called the Ōpe‘ape‘a, is a subspecies of the North American hoary bat. Notably, the Hawaiian hoary bat is the only land mammal whose subspecies is found only in Hawaii; and
WHEREAS, Ōpe‘ape‘a refers to a half taro leaf or canoe sail shape, which are somewhat similar to the shape of the bat. Little is known about these creatures, but the Hawaiian bats are occasionally observed using lava tubes, cracks in rocks, or man-made structures for roosting; and
WHEREAS, the Hawaiian hoary bat is a large and distinctively marked bat with long narrow wings. Its fur is long and soft, dark brown to black at the base, followed by a broad band of cream color, then a slightly narrower band of mahogany brown, tipped with white. The outer three colors are visible from the surface, giving the fur a frosted or "hoary" appearance. The bat has a distinctive yellowish-brown collar under its chin and yellowish ears edged in black. Dense fur extends to the tip of its tail and just beyond the wrists along the undersides of its wings, with distinctive white patches on the shoulders and wrists; and
WHEREAS, Hawaiian hoary bats have been affected by habitat loss, pesticides, predation, and roost disturbance. A reduction in tree cover is suspected to be the primary reason for the species’ decline in Hawaii; and
WHEREAS, the Hawaiian hoary bat has been federally listed as endangered, state listed as endangered, and state recognized as indigenous at the species level and endemic at the subspecies level; and
WHEREAS, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service introduced a Recovery Plan for the Hawaiian Hoary Bat on May 11, 1998; and
WHEREAS, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has noted that an informed public will be more receptive to the conservation of the Hawaiian hoary bat. Educational programs can present bats in general, and the Hawaiian hoary bat in particular, as beneficial and interesting members of Hawaii’s ecosystems; and
WHEREAS, May 11, 2012 will mark the fourteenth year since the entry of a Federal Recovery Plan on behalf of the Hawaiian hoary bat; and
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-sixth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2012, the House of Representatives concurring, that May 11, 2012 be designated as Ōpe‘ape‘a Day by the legislature in honor of this unique and endangered Hawaiian creature; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the public is urged to reflect upon the native Hawaiian flora and fauna, endangered species within Hawaii, and in particular the Hawaiian hoary bat, in observance activities; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the mayors of the counties of Maui, Kauai, Hawaii, and the city and county of Honolulu, and Hawaii's congressional delegation.
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OFFERED BY: |
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Ōpe‘ape‘a Day; recognition of the Hawaiian hoary bat.