Voices of Conservation is an interview series sharing the stories, experiences, and knowledge of the people working to understand and protect Kauaʻi’s native species and ecosystems. Featuring both current conservationists and longtime researchers, the series connects the history of conservation on Kauaʻi with the work happening today and explains the challenges ahead.
Dennis Cabral
Artist and Bird Lover
Born in 1941 to a Portuguese plantation family, Dennis recounts how a childhood among mynas, cardinals, owls, and ʻeva folklore grew into a lifelong love of birds. He describes seeing native forest birds at Kōkeʻe, then watching them disappear, which he compares to Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring and which kept him from returning. He argues that the greatest threat is public unawareness and connects his upbringing, marked by scarcity and care for the land, to his environmental values. He has supported KFBRP through the Wings and Woodlands art show, donating proceeds from his bird paintings, including a tribute to the Kauaʻi ʻōʻō.
