they have been replanted into their native habitats. Conservation scientists noted that the outplanting in these areas was successful. Major Threats The largest threats to this species at the time of its listing were given as its limited gene pool and low reproductive capability. Mauna Loa Silverswords must be pollinated by a separate plant to produce offspring. This means that it depends on other blooming individuals being around it, requiring a dense population for the species to reproduce successfully. However, each silversword blooms only once in their lifetime before dying, which further limits the reproductive growth of the species. Other threats identified by the USFWS were those of grazing by feral cows, pigs, and Mouflon sheep. These animals eat silversword, and those plants that survive produce fewer offspring. This is because grazing reduces the size of their blooming stalks. The small populations of the Mauna Loa silversword also make it vulnerable to sudden events that could wipe it out, such as fires or lava flows. Modern fencing has mostly eliminated the threat of grazing animals. While research has also found the population to be more diverse than originally feared, several new threats face the Mauna Loa Silversword as of 2020. These include climate change, the loss of native pollinators, and predation by rats. Conservation Efforts 2 years after the species was listed as endangered under the ESA, a recovery plan for it was established on November 21, 1995. The recovery plan stated that downlisting of the species to threatened would occur when the following conditions were met: That there were at least 10 populations of at least 2,000 individuals, when their population were increasing, the populations were protected from grazers, and the populations were genetically diverse. No critical habitat was initially provided. This was because the USFWS feared that designating habitat would make it easier for people to locate and harm the plant. Later, on July 2, 2003, certain areas of Hawaii were designated as critical habitat for a number of species. Some of those areas on the southeastern slopes of Mauna Loa contained populations of Mauna Loa silversword. This recovery plan was updated on August 7, 2019, as the number of required populations for downlisting was set at 5-10. The need for population increase changed to population stability for 10 years. It also broadened the requirements for protections against grazers to being against all threats. A delisting criteria was