For most of the last century there were no nene (Branta sandvicensis) on Maui. Nene, the state bird of Hawaii, was on the brink of extinction. The loss of this species was averted by a captive breeding program, in England, which allowed for the reintroduced of nene to Haleakala National Park with the help of local Boyscouts. The park is now one of the few places where you can see nene, the world's rarest goose, in its native habitat.

Before the arrival of humans in the Hawaiian Islands there were probably a dozen species of geese and goose-like birds. Many of these birds were flightless or nearly so and thus made easy targets for hunting. Of all these, only the nene survived into the 21st century. Archeological evidence shows that nene once lived on almost all the main islands. The population of nene rapidly declined until there were only 30 left in the wild, none on Maui. By 1950 captive breeding programs were raising nene with the intention of reintroducing them to their native habitat in Hawaii. Nearly 500 nene were reintroduced to the protected lands of Haleakala National Park between 1962 and 1978. Currently the population in the national park is approximately 200 to 250 wild birds. Some of these birds can be seen around the Headquarters Visitor Center and the trailheads.

Historic evidence indicates that nene once bred primarily in the lowlands. Without mammalian predators the nene did not have to depend on ponds or lakes to avoid predation as ducks and geese do in continental areas. In Hawaii, nene lay their eggs under shrubs on the ground. With the human introduction of alien predators like rodents, mongoose, cats and dogs, nene are now poorly adapted to their circumstances. These predators can steal vulnerable eggs or kill an adult nene. The loss of predator-free lowland areas has forced nene to live in the upper elevations. Yet the plant food is marginal and there are long periods of cold weather and winds threatening the survival of the young nene. They are existing in less than ideal conditions. Despite the challenging circumstances faced by the nene, their numbers are fairly stable. The most hopeful approach to help the small population of nene at Haleakala National Park includes more research about their dietary needs and control of predators in nesting areas. These strategies, as well as continued captive breeding and restoration of nene habitat, will hopefully allow the nene population to grow and expand in the future.

Like most geese, nene are grass grazers eating both native and alien grasses in Haleakala National Park. These birds also eat the small fleshy fruit of native plants such as ohelo (Vaccinium reticulatum) in the Cranberry Family and pilo (Coprosma montana) in the Coffee Family. Summer is the time to find a mate; this is the time the nene are out and about, easily seen and heard by the public. Breeding begins in the fall, often with the same partner every year. If all goes well, between one and six tiny goslings are born to each breeding pair in the winter or spring. Lots of parental care goes along with being a breeding nene pair and lucky visitors may see goslings learning how to feed and trailing adults into the safety of shrubs. This is not a common time to see nene because while the young are figuring out how to eat and survive, the adults are molting and growing in new feathers. In the summer, juvenile nene are still following around their parents and look about the same size. They sometimes are seen flying overhead in an attempted "V" pattern and can be quite noisy. Nene are one of the treasures of Haleakala National Park. This endangered species is protected both in the national park and out. Hopefully you will see nene during your visit to Haleakala National Park, ask about their distribution during your visit. You can help this rare bird by not feeding them, driving slowing through nene habitat and by staying on designated trails to avoid disturbing nests.