SciencePhoto: HT WorldCaptain Vancouver's 1793 Cattle Gift Disrupted Hawaii's Ecosystems
In 1793, Captain George Vancouver gifted cattle to Hawaiian King Kamehameha, who allowed them to roam freely under a kapu ban on killing for ten years. The cattle population grew rapidly, eventually damaging farms, forests, and native ecosystems on Hawaii Island. This introduction of cattle created long-term ecological and community challenges as herds expanded uncontrollably over decades.
HT World·


