Lifestyle: The nene (pronounced nay nay) is also known as the Hawaiian goose. Most scientist believe that it is descended from the Canadian goose. But it is now found only n Hawaii’s volcanic mountains. The nene’s legs have become very strong as an adaptation to the rough ground of its habitat. The webs between its toes, no longer needed for swimming, have grown smaller.

How the Nene Became Endangered: In the eighteenth century, the nene population numbered approximately 25,000. Little more than a hundred years later the bird was becoming rare. The cause of its rapid decline is linked to the arrival of settlers who altered the nene’s natural habitat. Settlers introduced such animals as cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs, which bred rapidly because of the lake of predators.  They soon destroyed the nene’s breeding grounds.  The mongoose was also introduced to the islands to control the rat population that damaged sugar crops, but it preyed on the nenes eggs and young. However, people were the most responsible for the nenes decline because they once hunted it for food. The nene has adapted to its barren landscape by feeding on low-lying plants, rather than on grass. As a result, it is more upright than other geese.

Wildfowl Trust: The Wildfowl Trust at Slimbridge, in England, pioneered conservation of the nene. The trust’s curator began a captive breeding program in1950. Nine goslings were raised successfully in 1952. By 1958 there were 53 nenes at Slimbridge, and breeding birds were sent to other countries. By 1964 nearly 300 birds had been bred in captivity. Close to 1,000 had been born 200 nenes from captive breeding sites to their natural habitat in Hawaii.

Conservation: By 1947 the wild nene population numbered only 30 birds. In 1949 a new captive breeding program was begun at Pohakuloa in Hawaii to prevent the nene from becoming extinct. Although the program was successful, progress was slow, and only 24 young, called goslings, were raised during seven breeding season. It was later discovered that the captive nenes had a low fertility rate. Lack of information about birds also contributed to the poor breeding rate. The nene was adopted as Hawaii state bird in 1957.

Action File; has it been a success? The recovery of the nene (pronounced nay-nay) from near extinction is on e of the most successful cases in the short history of wildlife conservation. Scientists estimate that 750 nenes now live from in wild. Yet little is known about the bird’s habits in is natural habitat. This means that the continued wild population is not guaranteed. Despite the apparent success of the captive breeding program, it has had some negative effects on the nene population. For example, subtle genetic changes in the nene are unavoidable, especially when the birds are kept in different conditions from those of their natural habitat. 

As a result, there has been an increase in the number of goslings (chicks) that are born with extremely thin, cotton like down. This trait may have to help those chicks raised in warmer areas. But now that the nene lives mainly in the cooler areas of its former range, the chicks may not survive because of their thin down. Nenes bred in captivity also become less fertile, partly because of the inbreeding that occurs. Since the 1970’s, nearly 2,000 captive bred birds have been released in sanctuaries on the islands of Hawaii and Maui.

A better approach to saving the nene might have been to conduct extensive field studies to learn more about the bird, rather than to remove it from its natural habitat and breeding it in captivity. It is now generally believed that rare a and endangered species like the nene should be left in their natural habitats and that action should be take to protect them within their environment. Also tame birds do not always survive in the wild, since they tend to be less wary of danger.  In the wild, a nene would not be able to raise a many goslings as are in this clutch that comes from a captive breeding program.

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