East Maui Animal Refuge Owner Sylvan Schwab with friend
By Anthony Pignataro
On Monday, Aug. 29, state and federal wildlife officials descended on the East Maui Animal Refuge — the famous “Boo Boo Zoo” — and seized 17 birds as part of a new law enforcement action against the shelter. Ken Foote, a U.S. Fish & Wildlife spokesman, said agents were enforcing the Migratory Bird Treaty Act when they seized the birds, which included owls, finches, egrets and cardinals. Foote said he did not know what prompted the investigation, and would not comment on the matter, except to say that it stemmed from the refuge’s “non-compliance with their federal permit. When they entered into the agreement, one of our chief concerns is the health and welfare of the animals.”
Refuge owner Sylvan Schwab was outraged at the investigation. “For 30 years, we have been doing wildlife rehabilitation,” he said. “We are a no-kill sanctuary. Our whole world has been turned upside down.” (click here for an Aug. 29 KITV news story on the investigation that includes additional quotes from Schwab).
Schwab said federal inspectors first showed up last Tuesday, Aug. 23. He said they told him that they would inform him of their findings within 48 hours, but Schwab said he heard nothing until yesterday, when law enforcement agents appeared and began seizing birds (Schwab said the owls will go to the Three Ring Ranch on Hawaii Island).
“I was also told that if anyone other than trained volunteers came into the refuge, then we’d need an exhibition permit from the Department of Agriculture,” Schwab said. “There can’t be any visitors here until we get that permit.”
Schwab added that, right now, his biggest concern are the 13 deer also living in the refuge. “They are habituated to the refuge, and are somewhat domesticated,” he said. “The last [gubernatorial] administration said to keep them here, but now they want them released into the wild. I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Deborah Ward, a spokesperson for the state Department of Land & Natural Resources, said her department received a request for a wildlife rehabilitation permit from Schwab. “We conducted a site visit last week,” she said, adding that their evaluation and recommendations would be released “in the near future.”
4 Comments
August 30, 2011
Unbelievable. Those birds love Sylvan. Breaks my heart. Many of the boo Boo Zoo deer were prematurely cut out of their mothers by hunters – Sylvan is their life. Especially the blind ones. The “raid” is likely related to their next door neighbor who has been rallying to close the shelter for years. Not many people on the planet can do what Sylvan does. I can’t imagine his grief presently.
September 1, 2011
The Boo Boo Zoo is where I call first if I find a baby deer or animal in distress. I know that the Humane Society do not care for deer or injured birds and will probaly just kill them rather than find a place to take care of them. Sylvan, day or night is there to give sage advice in keeping them alive until I can get them to a volunteer who knows what to do with the bird or deer. I have lived on this property adjacent to hundreds of wild acres and am happy to have some one in the know who willl love and care for these injured animals. Now I hear that the DLNR has executed several of the birds and that the new head of the DLNR on Maui has a personal dislike for the Boo Boo Zoo. His previous boss cared about the animals and helped to make a connection with the community in rehibilitating and returning to the wild those that could be. Those that were just too injured were allowed to remain at the Boo Boo Zoo where they were loved and cared for. This barbaric act by the present administration shows no concern for the animals or the community who loves the Boo Boo Zoo and like a Natzi will do what the rules tell him to do.
Shameful in every sense of the word. Sometimes Rules are to be examined by intellingent people and if there is an alternative solution outside of the box, the wise administrator will do what is just.
September 1, 2011
Thank you for the attention to this sickening action. Keep it up!