Remember the children’s song There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly?
Just like Hawaii.
I need to explain that don’t I. The lovely Island of Hawaii has a bird problem. There aren’t enough of them.
'Io: Endangered Hawaiian Raptor
Hawaiians have a version of “Little Old Lady” that tells the story. (You have to imagine the ukulele and hula dancers.)
There were ships that brought some stow away rats.
They ruined sugar cane, eggs and bird habitats in Hawaii.
So to catch the rats they brought in mongoose;
They also ate eggs but left rats running loose in Hawaii.
So to catch them both they brought in some cats,
But they preferred birds that were missed by the rats in Hawaii.
To catch the cats they relied on wild pigs.
Well they ate eggs too (but at least gave spare ribs) in Hawaii.
Then up grew a herd from a bull and a cow
And they managed to eat up a forest somehow in Hawaii.
Then someone thought they would introduce sheep
Which finished the forest the cows wouldn’t eat in Hawaii.
So finally Audubon brought in us nerds;
We paid bucks for nice dinners and lectures on birds in Hawaii.
They told us they’re stuck with the cats and mongooses,
And we all know how fast that a rat reproduces.
But they were trying so hard and showing such heart,
We wanted a way to at least do our part.
So we…
Ate some sheep.
And ate some cow.
And the very next night we had barbecued sow.
In Hawaii
