Guam artist designs sihek inspired merchandise to help recovery efforts

With the Guam sihek’s historic return to the wild on Palmyra Atoll, one local educator and artist is doing his part to help bring the birds back home to Guam. Educator and artist Frank Candaso is doing his part at home to support the Guam Sihek Recovery Project as nine Guam Sihek now live in the wild.

Candaso told KUAM News, "Because the sihek have been really a focal point in a lot of the art and the designs I have done it was important for me to provide an avenue for the community really to participate in this event. It is so historic, right? We have not seen the sihek in the wild in almost 40 years."

He’s working with the Sihek Recovery Project, selling products online with his design of the sihek inspired by their recent release. "My website is called king and rail," he detailed. "The name came from the Guam Kingfisher and then the Guam Rail…because the birds are specific to Guam it was important for me to promote the culture in that way."

The funds will directly benefit the efforts with a portion of the sales donated to a non-profit.

"Funds for the Sihek Recovery Project through the website that helps them, gains them repairs to the aviaries…the funds would also be sued towards getting field equipment and weather proof cameras...this also includes health screening and really just making sure that they are fit to be on their own and also they will be getting some new transmitter tags so that way we can keep track of all the different sihek that will be released," he said.