The Christian Science Monitor

A tabby by any other name: In Hawaii, a debate over what’s wild

Wild cats gather at the Hawaii Kai Park & Ride in Honolulu, July 3, 2019. Dozens of cats visit this parking lot each night. Some have been abandoned, others were born in the wild.

It’s just after 7 p.m. and the mists hovering over Kuliʻouʻou Ridge have taken on an eerie bluish gray in the twilight. The Hawaii Kai Park and Ride is empty, of cars anyway. Commuters have picked up their cars and the family selling lychees and pickled mangoes from the back of their hatchback has gone home. But the lot’s evening residents have begun to arrive.

Scattered throughout the parking lot, one ... two ... three dozen cats lope and lounge across parking spaces, curbs, and strips of grass. A pair of black

“Two different conversations”Wildlife within reach“They’re living beings, too”

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from The Christian Science Monitor

The Christian Science Monitor12 min read
These Migrants Bound For The US Border Found Their Dream Opportunity In Mexico
When Dales Louissaint left Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in 2016 amid growing lawlessness and economic crisis, his sights were set on the United States. For him, the American dream meant learning a new language, going to college, and becoming a lawyer.  Tod
The Christian Science Monitor5 min read
Baltimore Bridge Collapse Raises Port Safety Issues
The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore left six construction workers dead after a massive cargo ship collided with it on Tuesday, trapping about a dozen ships in the harbor, and diverting traffic and cargo.  While some people voice
The Christian Science Monitor2 min readInternational Relations
Resilience Against Russian Lies
When the British think tank Chatham House decided last year to measure the resilience of countries to foreign interference, it chose the tiny nation of Moldova as a pilot study. The timing was perfect. In early March, Moldova’s national intelligence

Related Books & Audiobooks