Last month, a woman allegedly snagged a nēnē gosling from its parents at Wailoa River State Recreation Area in Hilo while Lilinoe and Lester Kahalepauole-Bustamonte, their three teenagers and toddler Piha watched as the federally and state protected bird was snatched, put into an onion bag, and taken away. 

While the teens helped a DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) biologist capture one of the parents, their own parents started following the woman and provided continuous location updates to DOCARE and HPD officers.

The bird-napper was ultimately apprehended and the gosling was reunited with its parents and taken to the Hilo Nēnē Sanctuary. DOFAW Wildlife Biologist Raymond McGuire and his sanctuary team kept the trio in isolation for two weeks.

Last week, Lilinoe, with Piha in her arms was invited to open the gate to the nēnē family’s holding pen. The family was then surprised with a DLNR & YOU Citizen Conservationist Award. DOFAW Hawai‘i Island Branch Manager Steve Bergfeld recounted the family’s actions and thanked them for going above and beyond the call to duty. 

The group then watched the family waddle off to explore their new sanctuary home. 

DLNR Photo