Officials at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park announced that they’ve closed a portion of the park to protect a single pair of nesting nēnē, a species of goose native to the islands.
The news came shortly after officials announced that two other nēnē were killed on Maui. The two birds were killed by vehicles in separate incidents.
The nēnē is a species classified as “not threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The US National Park Service considers the species threatened.
Nēnē geese are native and endemic to Hawaii, an archipelago that has lost numerous endemic species to extinction since the arrival of European and North American settlers.
Nēnē couples are also known to mate for life.
After reports emerged that two were killed by cars on Maui, National Park Service officials responsible for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park decided to protect a pair they worried might fall victim to the same fate.
The partial closures will not impact work by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to monitor volcanic activity at the popular park, officials said.
“The temporary closure also includes a short section of Crater Rim Trail east of the parking lot, effective immediately,” NPS said in a notice. “The eastern overlook of Kilauea caldera at the landmark USGS triangulation station remains open, with the closest access by foot from Kilauea Overlook.”
Park officials said the temporary inconvenience to park visitors is worth it to protect even two individual nēnē.
“Nēnē are very vulnerable to being killed by vehicles, and this partial closure improves their chances for survival,” said park wildlife biologist Dr. Kristina Paxton.
Nēnē nesting season is underway and the birds too often nest near roads. Motorists will sometimes feed nēnē from their cars, increasing the risk to these native birds. News reports on the two nēnē killed in separate incidents in Maui indicate that drivers were likely feeding at least one of those birds.
The nēnē is considered the official State Bird of Hawaii. According to NPS, the population of nēnē plunged to fewer than 50 individual birds from the time Captain Cook first stepped foot in Hawaii to the 1940s.
A captive breeding and reintroduction program was established at the national park in the 1970s.
Populations have since rebounded, but conservationists say maintaining a stable and healthy population of nēnē on any of Hawaii’s islands is a struggle. Feral cats and the invasive mongoose continue to prey on vulnerable nēnē.
“Nēnē will probably always need our help to survive,” NPS said.
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Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
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Hawaii, USA
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