• Halema`uma`u Just Before Dawn

    Hawai'i Volcanoes

    National Park Hawai'i

Natural History Collection

‘Akialoa

'Akialoa, catalog #HAVO 1291

NPS Photo

Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park has a complex diversity of biological and geological resources. There is a wealth of specimens in our natural history collection.

  • Herbarium collection - started in the 1940's by park naturalist Gunnar Fagerlund and A. L. Mitchell. The collection includes vascular plants, lichen, ferns seeds and marine algae. Today we have over 5000 specimens cataloged.
  • Zoology collections - consist of mammal skins, bird skins and mounted bird specimens, various bird nests and an estimated 10,000 invertebrates (not cataloged).
  • Geology collection - close to 100 rare or unusual volcanic forms and compositions are cataloged in the parks database.

Did You Know?

Lei made of `a`ali`i and native ferns.

`A`ali`i (Dodonaea viscosa) is an important shrub with many traditional Hawaiian uses.  Its hard and durable wood makes a fine spear.  Seed pods are fashioned into beautiful lei, while its red capsules can be boiled to make dye.