County awards $775K in grants for feral animal management

Maui County has awarded $775,000 in grants to assess and manage feral animal populations, including axis deer, a longtime problem for residents and ranchers that has been made worse by the drought.

“Maui County’s axis deer population has become much more than a nuisance,” Mayor Michael Victorino said in a news release Monday. “This invasive species is a threat to the livelihoods of our farmers and ranchers. They also cause traffic accidents and damage yards and backyard gardens on Lanai, Molokai and Maui. Left unmanaged, axis deer will suffer and die from starvation and disease.

“These grants will help to assess the scope of the problem and employ humane ways to keep deer populations in check.”

Groups that submitted proposals to the department were focused on the axis deer and feral chicken populations, and grants were awarded to the following organizations:

● $197,800 to the Molokai Humane Society for the Molokai Hunting Club, Molokai feral axis deer management.

● $138,966 to Living Pono Project for Maui Nui Venison, Maui deer management and venison donation.

● $120,443 to Lanai Resorts LLC, axis deer management.

● $99,929 to The Nature Conservancy, Molokai Terrestrial Program.

● $98,000 to Living Pono Project for Kia LLC, axis deer assessment study.

● $95,000 to The Nature Conservancy, Lanai Terrestrial Program.

● $25,000 to Living Pono Project, feral chicken relocation and egg donation on Maui.

Eligible applicants under the grant proposal review process that closed Feb. 12 included Hawaii businesses or federal tax-exempt nonprofits. The final individual program funding amount depends on the grantee’s acceptance of review process conditions and ability to comply with the grant contracting requirements, the county said.

For questions, contact the Grants Management Division at 270-7807.