New contest invites Maui students to bring Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle awareness song to life

The Maui Invasive Species Committee is launching a Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle music video contest open to Maui students grade three and up; submissions due April 17, 2026. 

Students (or student groups) will create an original music video for the contest song “The Flying Coconut Rhinoceros (The CRB Song)”  highlighting the song lyrics in line with the theme “CRB Can Really Be a Problem.” The contest is open to public, private, charter, and homeschooled students and students can enter individually or as a group. 

Written by MISC field crew Brady Sparkman, “The Flying Coconut Rhinoceros (The CRB Song)” has a catchy melody and engaging, factual lyrics and is sure to make a lasting impression. “Music is a powerful way to share a message. I was thrilled when this contest came together. I can’t wait to see what the young videographers create,” said Sparkman.

The goal of the contest is build awareness critical to protecting Maui, where CRB has not yet established. This comes as O’ahu, Kaua’i and Hawai’i Island are dealing with increasing infestations of this introduced pest. According to Jorge Renteria Bustamente,  Manager of the Maui Invasive Species Committee, “Involving the student community through a music video contest is a great way to raise awareness on Maui to help prevent CRB from getting established here. We need the support of the public in this effort.”

Native to Southeast Asia, CRB have spread throughout the Pacific, carried long distances by people. Adult beetles feed on the crowns of palm trees, and outside their native range, cause damage severe enough to kill the plant. CRB populations have devastating impacts on the palm species foundational to cultural heritage, agriculture, ecosystems, and economies.

The beetles prefer coconut palms, but native palms (loulu), hala, taro, banana, pineapple, and sugarcane are also on the menu, thereby jeopardizing cultural resources, our agriculture and food security. Public awareness and reporting is critical at this stage, before CRB can establish on Maui.

Live CRB larvae have only been found a single time on Maui – in November of 2023 – and community reporting and immediate response prevented establishment. However,  CRB larvae can hitchhike undetected in soil, mulch, and green waste. Prevention measures reduce risk but community awareness is critical to stop the spread of this devastating agricultural pest.

The winning entry receives a group bouldering session at Aloha Rock Gym with transportation and lunch provided. Scott Odell, co-owner of Aloha Rock Gym, is eager to support the Maui community and this contest through a gift of climbing. “We can’t wait to celebrate and climb with the kids who win! ” said Odell.

Contest guidelines and entry form are available online at https://mauiinvasive.org/2026/02/27/crb-music-video-contest/, through this link or by scanning the QR code on the contest flyer. Funding and support for the Maui Invasive Species Committee and this project provided by the County of Maui, Hawaii Invasive Species Council, and Aloha Rock Gym.