A lawsuit over endangered petrel birds on Maui has been resolved.
Conservation groups sued the Grand Wailea Resort on Maui in February 2022, and again in May, claiming that the hotel's outdoor lights harmed the native seabirds.
Petrels, also known as ʻuaʻu, can become disoriented by bright lights while flying at night. The birds, especially young fledglings, may collide with structures or fly in circles until they fall to the ground from exhaustion.
Grand Wailea has agreed to take several steps to reduce bird fallout on its property, including dimming its lights.
"I'm thrilled that the Grand Wailea hotel will take more steps to turn off lights that can be so dangerous for the ʻuaʻu and other Maui seabirds," said Brett Hartl, government affairs director at the Center for Biological Diversity and one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
The agreement comes before the start of petrels' fledgling season. In September, many baby birds will leave the nest for the first time.
