The situation is dire - one tiny 'akikiki was rescued in Maui in a last-ditch effort to save the species from extinction. Temperature increases have caused malaria-carrying mosquitos to venture into higher elevations where the little honeycreepers live, giving them nowhere to escape from the deadly disease. In just a decade, malaria has decimated what was once a thriving population and this chick may be among the last living 'akikiki. The chick will join 42 other 'akikiki at the Maui Bird Conservation Center until we find a way to reduce the mosquito population in the area, providing a flicker of hope for the recovery of the species. #Akikiki #CriticallyEndangered #Conservation #SanDiegoZoo #SDZWA