NENE...........OR, WHY KAUAI MATTERS SO MUCH

Nene with two chicks.

Kauai. November 2010.

Not all that long ago, Nene, the State Bird of Hawaii,

were thought to be in danger of extinction.

Thanks to captive breeding in England and on the mainland,

as well as to forward thinking biologists like Paul Banko,

The Nene is surviving, especially on Kauai.........

WHY KAUAI?

 Little by Little, the main Hawaiian Islands

are becoming carbon copies of the mainland.

IZ sang about this and anyone with a sense of place in the islands

knows full well that freeways and stop lights

along with Walmarts, Costcos, and Timeshare Condos

spell doom for native plants and animals as well as 

the island way of life........

Nene have survived on Kauai because of land use restrictions

and because of the lack of serious predation by mongoose and because

native vegetation still thrives in places where the geese need habitat for

raising their young.

Dogs, Cats, Mongoose.......all these are threats on other islands.

When these predators are kept away

 AND

 good quality NATIVE PLANT HABITAT is present, Nene thrive.

Ironically, Nene also inhabit golf courses and some urbanizing areas

where people actually feed them.........not to be widely publicized for sure,

but these little geese can live in our presence if we pay attention to basic needs.

But just like golf courses anywhere on earth, careful consideration needs to be

aimed at maintaining native plantings and healthy riparian vegetation (streamside,

pondside, and oceanside plants that include nene food sources such as

ohelo and pukiawe). 

I photographed the Nene above at Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge.

But, I saw my first Nene down at what eventually became the

Poipu Bay Golf Course.........I see them now along the

bluffs and open dry lowlands

above Moloa'a Bay and Larsen's Beach

where Laysan Albatross also nest.........

If you visit Kauai, make sure you stop at the Kilauea Point NWR.

Take a look at the banding of the Nene.

Just like Monk Seals, these bands help researchers and

curious naturalists

learn more about these animals.

While on Kauai, chances are good you will see

Whales, Dolphins, Nene, Albatross (winter only), and

Monk Seals.........You might be surprised when and where

you encounter these birds and mammals, often at very crowded shores.

This is because habitat is present and, so far, human disturbances

have not reached levels beyond which that habitat value is lost to wild creatures.

No matter where you stand on earth, some creature is missing or much

reduced in numbers. Their presence or absence is what makes for the beauty

of all life.........Bringing back a single plant or animal, or protecting those

holding on in fragile ways........This is what we can do with and for our children.

Just last night, I watched a pair of Canada Geese working on their nesting area.

Not all that long ago, they were like the Nene, gone from much of our mainland.

Now, many of you will probably say Canada Geese are TOO abundant.

Wouldn't it be nice to say that about more animals!