Nene Research and Conservation

02/18/2026

From the data we have, this is the first time three nēnē goslings that hatched at Liliʻuokalani park have survived long enough to be banded. We have seen many community members step up to educate others about threats such as off-leash dogs, feral animal feeding, and directly feeding nēnē. It reinforces our belief that conservation outcomes improve when the community is part of the process.

We are also deeply grateful to the teams at DOFAW, DOCARE, and Hawaiʻi County, Friends of Lili'uokalani Gardens who have worked to ensure native species can recover in their native habitat. Mahalo to Office of Matt Kaneali'i-Kleinfelder for having the courage to introduce Bill 51 and the Councilmembers who supported it. Despite the thousands of people and hours of testimony claiming the bill would have no impact, these nēnē tell a different story. We also want to mahalo Hawai'i County Parks and Recreation, Hawaiʻi County Council and Mayor Kimo Alameda for prioritizing native species and community health. The work never ends but we want to acknowledge the tremendous progress that has been made in the past few years. Mahalo!!!

02/05/2026

Today we testified in opposition to HB1553.

HB1553 would require golf courses statewide to enter Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs) and obtain incidental take permits for protected wildlife. While that may sound reasonable in theory, we’re deeply concerned it would have the opposite effect for Nēnē.

Over the past few years, we have surveyed every golf course in Hawaiʻi where Nēnē are present and work closely with course operators on golfer education, injury and mortality mitigation, and predator control. These courses also allow us regular access for monitoring, which is critical to effective conservation.

Here’s what the data show:

• Over 75% of Nēnē on Hawaiʻi Island hatched on golf courses

• One hole at Waikoloa Village Golf Course will hatch more Nēnē this year than the entire islands of Maui and Molokaʻi, plus Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge combined

These courses are a net positive for Nēnē and already work directly with us and DLNR to support the species. HB1553 risks changing that. Added regulatory and financial burdens could make some courses unable to afford rehabilitation costs or compliance under an HCP. Courses could respond by changing grass types, removing water features, eliminating native vegetation, or shutting down all together. All of this reduces habitat carrying capacity, and there is no alternative habitat available at the scale golf courses currently provide.

Even proposed carve-outs for wildlife rehabilitation miss the bigger picture. Wildlife rehab is costly and limited in capacity. While saving individual birds can feel good, it does not address the root causes of population decline. In contrast, predator control directly increases nesting success and gosling survival, allowing us to ensure that more Nēnē hatch than are lost. Every dollar spent on predator management produces far greater population-level benefits than rehabilitation alone.

There is also a serious incentive issue. If courses are allotted a certain number of “takes” under an HCP and incidental take permit, they may be less likely to report injured birds to avoid costly rehabilitation (estimated at ~$108 per day). That undermines early intervention, transparency, and trust.
We also regularly find injured Nēnē on golf courses that have not been seen there in some time. Our data suggest that some birds are injured elsewhere and use golf courses as refuge, not as the source of injury.

Golf courses are not perfect. Nēnē are injured and killed on them. But they are also producing the majority of the population and supporting predator control that benefits Nēnē and other native species like ʻAeʻo and ʻōpeʻapeʻa.

We look forward to continuing these discussions with legislators, agencies, and stakeholders to ensure conservation decisions are guided by population-level outcomes. Protecting Nēnē means investing in solutions that measurably increase survival and reproduction and allocating limited funding where it benefits native species as a whole.

01/10/2026

We incorporated Nene.org three years ago yesterday. When we first started, we were often seen as persistent and pushy. We asked politely for taxpayer-funded data and were told no many times. We submitted more FOIA and UIPA requests than we can count, and somehow we did not give up. It is somewhat poetic that we crossed the three-year mark standing alongside DLNR and other community organizations as Hawaiʻi Governor Green proclaimed 2026, Makahiki Kuleana Kahakai, the Year of Our Coastal Kuleana.

Today, we maintain one of the largest Nēnē resighting datasets, built from our dedicated surveys and thousands of sightings submitted by community members, and operate the only real-time, cellular-connected remote camera system for band recognition. Our app gives stakeholders an easy way to search banding records in the field and provides quick access to injury and mortality reporting.

For the first time, a county in Hawaiʻi passed a feral animal feeding ban without costly lawsuits. We continue to monitor cats across sensitive habitats and work with cat advocates to ensure cats are removed from these areas. We work directly with elected representatives to keep them informed of threats and the mitigation required to remain compliant with state and federal law. We secured speed reductions in areas where Nēnē were most vulnerable to vehicle strikes.

Most importantly, we still have the same drive and attitude we had at the beginning. Stakeholders now recognize that we are a force for good. We are on the same team, just very impatient. We hope to accomplish even more in the coming years: more cameras, more traps, more collaboration, and fewer feral cats.

Mahalo to everyone who supported us by sharing posts, donating, pledging on Patreon, buying our merch, and showing up to our talks.

01/10/2026

We are grateful to partner with Hawaiʻi DLNR for Makahiki Kuleana Kahakai, the Year of Our Coastal Kuleana. While our focus species is Nēnē, we also invest significant effort in improving habitats that benefit other waterbirds and seabirds and in advancing legislative priorities that support native species and community health. Please check out https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/coasts/ to learn more about Makahiki Kuleana Kahakai!

01/01/2026

Happy New Year! There’s something poetic about the Nēnē nest at Liliʻuokalani Park hatching on the same day the new law banning feral animal feeding takes effect in Hawaiʻi County. We ask everyone to keep their distance from the Nēnē family and to report off-leash dogs, feral animal feeding or any issues to DLNR DOCARE. These goslings make up nearly 10 percent of the Hilo subpopulation, and it is vital that we all do our part to help them reach adulthood. The adult Nēnē in this area are known to frequent cat feeding sites around Liliʻuokalani Park. While we expect feeding activity to slow, some people will still ignore the law. You can help us track this by reporting cat food and feral cat feeding at FeralMap.com

12/19/2025

We get reports everyday of people feeding cats and Nēnē. Starting January 1, 2026 it will be illegal to feed feral animals on County owned and managed land.

12/10/2025

We are grateful to be able to work so closely with the State and County to support NTC’s nesting attempt this year! Mahalo to everyone who sends in photos and sightings to help us keep track of these birds!

NEW PROTECTIONS GIVE NĒNĒ ANOTHER CHANCE TO NEST IN LILI‘UOKALANI GARDENS

After Years of Tragic Deaths, Prohibitions on Cat Feeding May Lead to New Goslings

Nēnē nesting season has begun and a pair is now nesting in Hilo’s Lili‘uokalani Gardens, where posted signs mark the nesting area. Staff from the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) and County of Hawaiʻi Department of Parks and Recreation will be monitoring the pair throughout the season, which can run from October to March and sometimes later. After years of tragic nēnē deaths in Hilo, officials hope that new regulations and increased observation will lead to nesting success.

Nēnē at the busy Lili‘uokalani Gardens park have faced a number of challenges. The female of this year’s nesting pair, known by her banding code NTC, was the mother of the gosling that was abducted from Wailoa State Park in 2023, as well as a gosling that died from toxoplasmosis in 2024. She was also the mate of the nēnē that was struck and killed by a car in 2024 while crossing the street to reach a cat feeding station. NTC was already heavy with eggs at the time of her mate’s death in 2024, and none of the goslings survived. This year, NTC has found a new mate and is nesting in a less busy section of the park, which should be easier to protect.

The success of NTC this nesting season will also be aided by increased protections from Hawaiʻi County Parks. Beginning in January 2026, the feeding of feral animals will be prohibited on county lands, which will reduce significant disease, predation and associated impacts from invasive species.

“By protecting the nēnē nests in Hilo, we not only allow nēnē to reestablish their habitat, but also allow people to connect with a vulnerable Hawaiian species,” said Raymond McGuire, a biologist with DOFAW on Hawaiʻi Island. “It is 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.”

Citizen science has also captured the story of NTC. Jordan Lerma, director of Nēnē Research and Conservation, reports his organization has one of the most extensive sighting histories in its catalog, thanks to years of community observations.

“As the recovery of nēnē continues, it’s becoming increasingly common to see these birds in parks and other public spaces,” said Lerma. “Together, we are learning how to balance the protection of native wildlife with shared use of these places. We are grateful to everyone who has helped us keep track of these birds by submitting photos and sightings on nene.org.”

The greatest chance for success during NTC’s new nesting season will depend on the behavior of park goers. “The Parks Department continues to support conservation efforts to protect nēnē that live and nest in our parks,” said Clayton Honma, director of Parks and Recreation. “We ask everyone to please follow park rules, such as those related to keeping dogs on leash and to refrain from feeding feral animals. These actions will help safeguard native birds and create healthier, more enjoyable public spaces for everyone.”

11/08/2025

Mahalo to DOFAW biologist Raymond McGuire and DOCARE officers for disentangling this Nēnē in Hilo today. We also want to thank the community members who reported this issue to us and DLNR. During an earlier response attempt, it was documented that good Samaritans were trying to catch and remove the line themselves. While these intentions are good, it’s always best to contact DLNR first. In most cases, such attempts make it more difficult for biologists to capture these birds. Typically, there’s only one opportunity per day since they don’t like getting caught.

If you see discarded fishing line, please pick it up as it can cause serious issues for Nēnē and other native species. To contact DLNR, please use the DLNR Tip App or call 808-643-DLNR. If you can’t get through to anyone, you can use our report form on nene.org.

This Nēnē was captured by a trained biologist under permit. Please do not attempt to catch protected species without first consulting DLNR.

10/25/2025

Nēnē continue to become habituated to areas where food is provided, even if it’s cat food. A pair discovered feeding stations at Queens Marketplace in 2018, and the problem has grown ever since. Property owners who allow cat feeding are likely to attract Nēnē as well, and once they find the food, they will keep returning for years. The best solution is to prohibit cat feeding and stop allowing feral cat colonies to persist. Trap, Neuter, Adopt.

10/11/2025

Many Nēnē have been killed by vehicles along this stretch of road in Keaukaha on Hawaiʻi Island. In late 2022, we began investigating the issue to identify possible solutions. When more Nēnē were struck in 2023, we accelerated our efforts. We designed and built speed data loggers and deployed them in the areas with the highest number of collisions.

What we found was alarming but not surprising to those familiar with the area. These straightaways beside schools, restaurants, and parks were being used as makeshift drag strips, and even regular traffic often exceeded the speed limit. The road was in poor condition, leading many drivers to hug the shoulder in search of a smoother path. It was clear that major improvements were needed.

Armed with data, we approached Mayor Roth and County Council Member Sue Lee Loy. Both were receptive, and over the following months, legislation was passed to reduce the speed limit, an essential step before installing speed tables and raised crosswalks. We also requested guardrails near Kumuola and Lokowaka.

Now, nearly three years later, our vision of a safer roadway for everyone is close to reality. Mahalo to both county administrations, the Department of Public Works, , , , , and for their partnership and commitment to this project. While these improvements have helped reduce the number of Nēnē being hit by cars, we still need the community to remain vigilant and drive carefully through this area, as it is a critical habitat for the species.

08/22/2025

Mahalo to KT from Friends of Liliʻuokalani Gardens for reporting this Nēnē to DLNR today. He had been on the run with a fishing line entanglement since last Wednesday (mahalo to for the initial report). DLNR DOCARE Officer Benavides and DOFAW biologist Ray McGuire were able to capture Nēnē RKU and safely remove the entanglement. Friends of Liliʻuokalani will be hosting a volunteer day this Saturday as they prepare the gardens for the 26th Annual Queen Liliʻuokalani Festival on September 6. Please stop by and help out!

This is the same Nēnē that was entangled in February. If you do see discarded fishing line please kōkua and make sure it ends up in the trash. Mahalo!

📷: KT Friends of Lili`uokalani Gardens

04/17/2025

We’ve been quietly rolling out cellular-connected cameras to monitor Nēnē in real time. Our custom software pulls images from the cloud, detects birds, extracts band colors, predicts leg placement, and flags improbable matches—like a Kauaʻi bird showing up on Hawaiʻi Island.

So far, we’ve processed over 104,000 images and automatically matched 2,000+ bands of 240 unique Nēnē. We only log one unique banded bird per camera per day, but our server archives every image for future analysis—preserving detailed histories of each individual.

Our system handles 4,000 images/hour, reducing field effort while improving data quality. With the DLNR’s support, we’re now expanding from Hawaiʻi Island to Maui. Mahalo to the DOFAW for making this possible.