SciencePhoto: HT WorldHong Kong's 1868 Gift of Axis Deer to Hawaii Now Threatens Ecosystem
In 1868, Hong Kong gifted eight axis deer to Molokaʻi, Hawaii. Their descendants now number about 60,000, causing significant damage by eating crops, native plants, and stripping tree bark. Axis deer, native to India and nearby countries, were later introduced to other Hawaiian islands. Hawaii's native plants evolved without grazing animals, making them vulnerable to these invasive deer, contributing to native plant decline and ecosystem disruption.
HT World·


