Hawai‘i Wildlife Conservation Stamp contest opens

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife welcomes artists to submit entries for the annual art contest depicting two local wildlife species for the 2022-23 Hawaiʻi Wildlife Conservation and Game Bird stamps.

The wildlife conservation stamp is a requirement on state hunting licenses. The game bird stamp is required for anyone who intends to hunt game birds. Both stamps will be available to stamp collectors.

The subjects for this year’s stamps are:

Game Bird Stamp − The Chukar partridge (Alectoris chukar) (occurs on all main Hawaiian Islands) was introduced to Hawaiʻi in 1923. It is native to Asia and eastern Europe, from Israel to Nepal. They measure roughly 14 inches long and have a gray-brown back with sides striped in black and white feathers. Their face is white with a black band across the eyes down to the neck. They are a dominant component of the avifauna in high elevation shrubland and might have filled a niche filled by now extinct or rare birds. The role of the alien bird in facilitating seed dispersal and germination of native plant species has been found to be beneficial in restoring degraded ecosystems.

Wildlife Conservation Stamp − The ʻiʻiwi (Vestiaria coccinea) is federally listed as threatened statewide. Adults have a vibrant red plumage with black wings and tail and a curved salmon-colored bill. The juvenile is buffy with black spots, shorter dusky bill becoming yellow in color then salmon with age. Feeds primarily on ʻōhiʻa nectar, but also visit tublar flowers of understory plants like ʻakala and lobelias and take insects.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

SETTING: Hawai‘i habitat

SIZE: Completed painting with a maximum of 24-by-36-inch and unframed (to be reduced to 1-by-1.5-inch stamp)

MEDIUM: Oil or acrylic

ENTRY: Completed oil or acrylic painting or an 8.5-by-11-inch photo/print/photocopy of a completed painting

DEADLINE: All entries must be received by Feb. 25, 2022. Notification of the winner will be made in March 2022.

SHIPPING FEE: All paintings sent must be accompanied by a $35 fee to cover the cost of returning artwork. If a check is not included, you will need to come to the administration office to pick up your artwork. Checks are to be made payable to the DLNR. Otherwise, a photo, print or photocopy of an original painting may be sent with no fee.

PAYMENTS: The winner will receive a maximum award of $1,000.

Funds from Hawaiʻi Wildlife Conservation Stamp sales go into the state Wildlife Revolving Fund to support wildlife populations and habitat and manage hunting.

Last year, revenues from both stamps were used to cover some of the costs of maintaining hunting units and add game bird and game mammal hunting opportunities where possible. Proceeds from the sales of wildlife conservation stamps also provide funds for the annual lease rental of the Lānaʻi Cooperative Game Management Area and several other hunting leases.