Achievement

IGERT Fellow Kira Krend has completed the first comprehensive study of disease ecology and epidemiology of avian malaria on the Island of Oahu, Hawaii. She found that while the overall prevalence of avian malaria in Oahu’s forest birds (introduced and native) was 25%, an abundant island endemic (the Oahu amakihi) has low malaria prevalence, possibly indicating disease resistance. Establishment of the first research collaboration between the University of Hawaii and the Honolulu Zoo in over 20 years will allow further study of disease resistance in captive forest birds.