State and county officials are monitoring a trio of nēnē in Hilo's Liliʻuokalani Gardens.
The group is made up of a nesting female, known as NTC, plus a pair that flew in who have been helping protect the four new eggs, which are set to hatch around the start of the new year.
Officials from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources have implemented new regulations and increased observation during nēnē nesting season, which runs from October to March and possibly beyond. But Raymond McGuire, a wildlife biologist with DLNR’s Division of Forestry and Wildlife who tries to check on the nēnē every morning, said the warning signs have been ignored and thrown in the water by some park visitors.
He added that a big concern is cat food left in and around the gardens. The food draws the birds away from the nest, leaving the eggs unprotected and vulnerable. NTC's last mate, known as nēnē 595, was struck and killed by a car while crossing the street to a cat feeding station.
“People that are feeding cats don't necessarily intend to be feeding other animals, but you end up feeding the pigeons, and the mongooses, and specifically for the nēnē for whatever reason, the cat food is such a draw so they'll walk across the street, walk across the park, and they'll abandon their nest, so they're leaving the eggs unprotected," McGuire said.
McGuire noted that cat food is protein-dense, which is a harsh contrast from the normal diets of nēnē, who are herbivores. The high protein content can give nēnē "angel wing" — a developmental distortion that prevents birds from flying.
Hawaiʻi County passed a bill banning feral animal feeding in public areas like beaches and parks, which takes effect in January. McGuire said this is not an attack on the cats that roam the park, but rather a preventative and protective measure for the other animals that are impacted.
"Nēnē were on the brink of extinction in the 1950s, there were only 30 left, so we're so fortunate to be able to see them in our own parks now," McGuire said. "Especially this threesome we have now, it's so unique and interesting to watch. It's an incredible gift to have nēnē in our neighborhood, but with this great gift comes an even greater responsibility to protect these birds by not interacting with them and by only observing them from afar."
Report nēnē observations here. To learn more about nēnē, click here.
