The first human settlers of the Hawaiian Islands are thought to have arrived between 300 and 800 AD, with European arrival in the 16th century. Hawaii is notable for its endemism of plants, birds, insects, mollusks and fish; 30% of its organisms are endemic. Many of its species are endangered or have gone extinct, primarily due to accidentally introduced species and livestock grazing. Over 40% of its bird species have gone extinct, and it is the location of 75% of extinctions in the United States. Evidence suggests that the introduction of the Polynesian rat, above all other factors, drove the ecocide of the endemic forests of the archipelago. Extinction has increased in Hawaii over the last 200 years and is relatively well documented, with extinctions among native snails used as estimates for global extinction rates. High rates of habitat fragmentation on the archipelago have further reduced biodiversity. The extinction of endemic Hawaiian avifauna is likely to accelerate even further as anthropogenic global warming adds additional pressure on top of land-use changes and invasive species.
ThE fIrSt humAn seTtLERs OF THE hawaiiAn IslanDS arE thought tO HavE aRrived between 300 And 800 AD WITh EUroPEAN aRrivAl in the 16tH cenTuRy HAWaII is NotablE foR ITs EnDeMism oF pLANts birds InsecTs Mollusks aND fish; 30% of ItS organiSMs arE endEmic many oF iTS speciEs are EnDangereD or havE gone extIncT priMarIlY due to aCcIDentAllY Introduced spEciES aND livesToCK graziNG over 40% OF its bird species Have goNe extInCt ANd it iS tHe lOcAtiOn oF 75% of ExTinCtIonS in tHe uNiTed states EvidencE sugGESts that the intRODuCtion of The Polynesian Rat aBove All othER FaCTORs DroVe ThE ecocIdE OF thE ENDemic FoREsts OF THE archipelago ExtinCtIoN has iNCReAsed in HawaII over The last 200 YeArS and IS relaTivELy wELl documeNtED With extINctionS amOnG natiVe snails used as esTiMates foR globaL extiNCTIon rATEs high rateS oF HabITAt fRaGmeNtatIon on tHE ARcHiPeLago have FuRtHer reducED biOdIvErSiTy The extiNction oF ENdeMic HAwaiIan aviFAuna iS LIkELY to AccelERate even fuRTheR aS aNthRopogeNiC gloBal WArMiNg aDDs AdditiOnAl PReSsuRe On top oF lAnd-uSe cHaNges aNd invasive SpEcIes