A rat eradication project proposed to protect and restore wildlife habitat on Mokapu Island will be explained to the public during two upcoming public meetings on Moloka'i.

The meetings, at 6 p.m. tomorrow at Kilohana Community Center and Friday at Mitchell Pau'ole Community Center, are sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

According to DLNR officials, at least three seabird species—wedge-tailed shearwaters ('ua'u kani), red tailed tropicbirds (koa'e 'ula), and white-tailed tropicbirds (koa'e kea) nest on the island.

Mokapu also has 11 of the last 14 Pittosporum halophilum plants in the wild and a small population of loulu lelo (Pritchardia hillebrandi) palms, which are becoming increasingly rare. The top threat to these island inhabitants is the rat.

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