HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK – The nene are nesting! Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is closing an area of the park to protect a pair of rare Hawaiian geese that have nested. The Uekahuna overlook, restrooms and parking lot are now closed, and visitors are asked to keep their distance if they see the birds. Also, drive slowly because nene like to get around by walking.
In the 1950s, just 30 nene remained in the entire state of Hawaii. A recovery program helped the population grow again, and now there are nearly 200 of the birds living in and around the park. They’re believed to be descendants of the Canada goose. It’s thought that a flock of Canada geese was blown off course about 500,000 years ago and ended up in Hawaii. Now it’s the official state bird.
