(AP) — Federal and state officials on Maui are trying to get rid of nonnative mosquitoes that carry avian malaria to help prevent the extinction of native forest birds found only in Hawaiʻi. The Maui News reports the National Park Service and Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources are proposing the give the mosquitoes bacteria that hinders their ability to fertilize eggs and reproduce. The method could significantly help the birds because avian malaria is among their biggest killers. Officials say immediate action is needed to prevent extinction. Of the six Hawaiian honeycreepers species that live on Maui, three are listed as endangered.

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