Chickens are ubiquitous in the Hawaiian Islands, and especially on the island of Kauai, where they roam freely in the streets, parks and gardens of local residents. Although popular with tourists, these animals are a problem for most islanders.
Scientists note that these wild chickens are mostly descendants of domestic chickens that escaped or were released decades ago. Over time, they have adapted to the wild life and thrived in the Hawaiian Islands. They mixed genetically and developed a wide variety of plumage colors and patterns.
The inhabitants of the Hawaiian Islands consider wild chickens to be pests. These are particularly a nuisance because of the noise they make and the damage they can cause to gardens. Many measures have been taken to reduce its population.
Officials on Oahu, one of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, even paid $7,000 to set up traps all over the island. However, these traps were not very effective. Only 67 chickens were captured. ” They are not the smartest of birds, but they are smarter than that gives them credit commented Eben Gering, an evolutionary biologist at Nova Southeastern University.
To dig deeper, find out how chickens have tripled in size since the 1950s.
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