Officials at the Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge on Friday reported another successful nene breeding season on the slopes of Maunakea.
“During the 2021-2022 breeding season (October to March), our management of habitat and invasive animals supported 16 nesting pairs of geese, and resulted in 8 goslings surviving to sub-adults capable of flight,” said Lena Schnell, U.S. Army Garrison, Pohakuloa Training Area’s Natural Resources Program Senior Program Manager.
According to Schnell, young goslings unable to fly are extremely vulnerable to invasive predators such as mongoose and feral cats. Several management methods are employed to help increase the survivorship of young geese at the refuge.
“We enhance the actual habitat in a roughly 3-acre area near the Pua Akala barn by mowing the grass, providing shelters, and controlling invasive plants like gorse,” she said.
The Army staff has been partnering with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge for five years on the Hawaiian Goose (nene) Conservation Project. Since 2017, the project has seen an overall increase in the nene population in the Saddle region.
The 22-person natural resource team also manage invasive animals in the habitat enhancement area and along key roads in the area.