Nēnē are the last surviving native Hawaiian geese of several species that have gone extinct. In the 1950s, there were so few nēnē remaining that many thought they would vanish from the earth. Thanks to the hard work of national parks and other state and private entities, nēnē were brought back from the edge of extinction and today are carefully monitored and supported at our national park partners in Hawaiʻi.

Nēnē recovery efforts at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park continue with HPPA support. HPPA funding is important to facilitate the work of project volunteers who monitor nests and goose families, and who help improve the nesting habitat. Human assistance remains essential for real recovery.

Seabirds have evolved to nest on islands, where predators are usually scarce or absent. That was true for the Hawaiian Islands for millions of years, but with the arrival of humans came the arrival of rats, cats, mongooses and other predators. Hawaiian petrels nest in burrows under rocks, high on the slopes of Mauna Loa and Haleakalā volcanoes, but even here their eggs are eaten and chicks are attacked. National park staff work tirelessly to monitor and protect these burrows and their precious inhabitants.

HPPA has supported ʻuaʻu nest burrow monitoring on Mauna Loa for many years, and assisted with a recent fencing project. Our funding helps with the cost of helicopter transportation and other staff support, enabling crews to work in these rocky, remote sites. ʻUaʻu make their nests in difficult and challenging terrain. Predators still try to find the burrows, however. Remote cameras are in place, but hands-on monitoring is still essential in the recovery of this seabird.

The most commonly seen sea turtle in Hawaiʻi is the Hawaiian green sea turtle, whose numbers are rebounding since federal protection in the 1970s. However, the hawksbill sea turtle, honu ʻea, which is a similar size, has never really recovered from being hunted for its beautiful shell. Intensive human management is currently required to support the remaining 100 or so nesting females in Hawaiian waters, most of which nest on Hawaiʻi Island.

Volunteers with the Hawksbill Turtle Recovery Project at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park monitor Hawai‘i Island’s rugged southern coastline for endangered sea turtle nesting activity and turtle nests. HPPA donations support the needs of full-time volunteers by providing housing, meal stipends and transportation to and from remote nesting locations where NPS staff and volunteers camp during the summer and fall nesting season.