If you’re planning to visit Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park over the Labor Day weekend, there’s a good chance you’ll be treated to another eruptive episode of Kīlauea, the world’s most active volcano. Kīlauea’s near-constant, frequent eruptions are driven by its location over a stable hotspot in the Earth’s mantle, providing the volcano a continuous supply of magma.
An eruption on June 3, 2024 launched a series of eruptions that have been ongoing ever since, making Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park itself a “hot spot” to visit. Episode 31 lasted for almost 13 hours, covering 75% of the crater floor with lava. Although Madam Pele pressed pause on the most current eruption, the USGS tells us that another episode is likely in the next few days to a week.
Should you happen to be visiting the park during a pause and still hoping to see something rare and uniquely “Hawaiʻi,” you won’t be disappointed. Situated in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and a whole 2,390 miles away from the nearest continent, Hawaiʻi is the most remote populated landmass on the planet. This extreme isolation has created the perfect environment for a unique ecosystem teeming with endemic species that are only found here in Hawaiʻi.
Take the ʻŌhiʻa Lehua tree, for instance. This endemic, native Hawaiian species is a hardy pioneer plant that colonizes rainforests and new lava flows like those from Kīlauea. It’s mesmerizing to see the ʻŌhiʻa Lehua with its vibrant, fiery blossoms growing out of a seemingly barren, rugged lava field.
A family of nēnē (NPS Photo)
Then there’s the nēnē, or native Hawaiian geese, that call much of Hawaiʻi home, including Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The State Bird of Hawaiʻi, the threatened nēnē is the rarest goose on earth. At one time, there were seven or more species of geese that evolved in Hawaiʻi from ancestors who were much like the Canada goose. Most of these species were flightless, making it difficult for them to escape from Polynesian hunters and especially vulnerable to land use changes in Hawaiʻi’s lowlands. Although they prefer not to fly, the nēnē’s ability to do so contributed to its ability to survive as Hawaiʻi’s only remaining goose.
When Captain Cook arrived in Hawaiʻi in 1778, it’s thought that there were approximately 25,000 nēnē in existence. Unfortunately, introduced predators such as cats, dogs, and mongooses, foraging animals such as pigs, goats, and cattle, and hunters all took their toll on the tenacious goose population. Even introduced plants competed with the nēnē’s native food and cover plants.
By the mid 1940s, only 50 birds remained. The species was on the brink of extinction by the 1950s, prompting Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park to launch the Nēnē Recovery Program, a captive nēnē breeding and reintroduction program that continues today. The nēnē population has rebounded and now almost 200 nēnē thrive in the park… but they still rely on our help to survive in light of modern-day threats.
Feral cats and mongooses hunt and kill nēnē goslings and adults, while automobiles hit and kill the bird along roadways. Attracted to the grassy fairways of golf courses, nēnē may be injured or even killed by golf balls. And in upland habitats, nutrition is not sufficient for growing goslings.
In Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, motorists are the biggest threat to the chatty nēnē. What’s more, visitors can unintentionally disturb nesting nēnē. Nēnē are known for forming strong, lifelong pair bonds and family units. As such, the park may temporarily close sensitive brooding areas to the public to protect nēnē families from human interference.
To improve nēnē breeding success, Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park staff also implement various techniques, including mowing pastures, controlling predators in nesting habitat, and maintaining predator-resistant enclosures where free-flying birds can feed, rest, and nest. To identify and track individual birds, park biologists mark both captive-reared and wild nēnē with leg bands. The park has learned much about nēnē family and flock life through banding and subsequent monitoring, and continues to improve ways to promote population growth.
When you visit Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, you can do your part to help protect the threatened nēnē. Be diligent about looking out for nēnē while driving on roads, roadsides, and in parking lots. Never, NEVER feed the nēnē, as this teaches them to associate humans (and the vehicles they drive) with food. And give the nēnē their space.
Whether you have your heart set on getting a photo of the charming nēnē or an epic shot of Kīlauea erupting, the safety of the geese and yourself is the priority. Maintain a respectful distance of the volcano and the wildlife when photographing by using a long lens.
If you’re planning to explore Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park and its sacred trees, rare geese, and the world’s most active volcano, choose a Volcano Village vacation rental that’s a mere five minutes from the park… The Ola’a House. Book your Volcano Hawaiʻi vacation home rental and get ready for a one-of-a-kind Big Island experience.