History Of Nēnē Conservation
Nēnē, or Hawaiian Goose, is an emblematic species of the Hawaiian Islands, where it is both the official state and the formerly territorial bird. Noted by early European explorers and well-documented during Captain Cook’s voyages, nēnē have been been documented by western historians as part of the islands’ natural heritage since at least December 1778. Historical accounts by explorers like Meares and Menzies speak to its presence and significance long before it was formally described by Vigors in 1834 from specimens sent by David Douglas.
The closest relatives of nēnē are Canada and Cackling geese, with molecular evidence suggesting a divergence less than 800,000 years ago. Remarkably, the subfossil record indicates the existence of at least three other Branta species closely related to the nēnē, including one potentially flightless species on Hawai’i Island.
By the time nēnē were described, its range likely remained confined to the upper slopes of Maui and Hawai’i Island, although it’s possible remnant populations persisted on Moloka’i into the 1920s. The bird faced declines in the late 19th century due to hunting, predation by introduced species, and habitat alteration. The nēnē population dropped from around 25,000 in the late 1700s to just 20-30 in the wild and 13 in captivity by the 1950s.
Efforts to save nēnē from extinction began as early as the late 1920s, with the Territory of Hawaiʻi appropriating funds toward recovery efforts by 1949. Propagation programs in Pohakuloa, Slimbridge, England, and Connecticut used birds from Herbert Shipman’s ranch, the only viable captive flock at the time, which had survived various setbacks including a devastating tsunami in 1949.
The propagation of the nēnē in captivity proved highly successful, with over 2,500 birds reared and released throughout the state from 1960 to 2000. While initial productivity in the wild was low, continued reintroductions and predator-control measures led to growing populations on Hawai’i Island, Maui, Moloka’i, and Kaua’i. Between 2011 and 2015, the Nēnē population reached a stable count of roughly 2,500, which led to the end of breeding programs in 2011.
On Hawai’i Island, nēnē breed and molt in scattered locations, dispersing upslope to dry subalpine scrub after breeding. On Maui, the introduction of nēnē to Haleakala Crater in 1962 resulted in a thriving population that occasionally ventures to lower elevations. Similarly, on Moloka’i and Kaua’i, propagation and predator-control strategies have facilitated growing populations, particularly on Kaua’i, where the lack of mongooses has aided in establishing one of the most robust nēnē populations in the State. However, recent observations suggest declining populations on Maui and Moloka’i, despite these efforts, leading to concerns over the long-term stability of Nēnē numbers in these areas.
Nēnē are capable of inter-island flights, evidenced by banded birds moving between islands, reflecting their inherent adaptability. O’ahu, historically absent of Nēnē since the 1700s, witnessed a resurgence when a pair, originally from Kaua’i, unexpectedly nested at the James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge in January 2014. This pair, identified as K59 and K60, hatched three goslings from four eggs, temporarily raising O’ahu’s Nēnē count to five. Initially relocated to the Big Island from Kaua’i, the pair likely aimed to return to Kaua’i but ended up on O’ahu. Sadly, the adult Nēnē and two goslings have since perished, and the sole surviving gosling was moved to a Big Island sanctuary.
Today, the Nēnē’s resurgence stands as a testament to the power of concerted conservation efforts and the resilience of a species once pushed to the brink of extinction. The history of nēnē, from its early recognition by naturalists to its dramatic decline and remarkable recovery, encapsulates the intricate dance of conservation, highlighting both the challenges and triumphs of protecting endemic wildlife in Hawaiʻi.