Two nēnē born and raised on Maui were recently killed by cars in separate incidents.

One of the birds was part of a pair that witnesses report were being fed by someone in a stopped car on Amala Place in Kahului. The other nēnē was hit near the air cargo bypass of the airport.

Many nēnē nest and feed around the waters of the Kanahā Pond State Wildlife area, which is circled by busy urban roads and highways. Drivers have the rare privilege of being able to spot native wildlife on daily commutes, but that comes with the responsibility of driving with aloha around our unique and endangered species.

This is the time of year that young nēnē pair up, form life-long bonds, and explore to find room and nesting sites away from other pairs. Nēnē are powerful flyers but have difficulty dodging speeding cars, because as large birds they need a ‘runway,’ a longer flight path than smaller birds.

People who feed these wild animals endanger them because the birds learn to associate food with cars. DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) biologists remind everyone that feeding protected wildlife is illegal.

DLNR Photo