App 4 Hakalau

The 2009-2010 Jack Jeffrey Conservation Education Grant Christina Cornett PO Box 10029 Hilo, HI 96721 (808) 896-1587 [email protected] Research proposal: Identify daytime and roost locations and quantify habitat selection and use of the endangered Hawaiian goose at Kahuku (Hawaiˊi Volcanoes National Park) and Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge. The Hawaiian goose, or nēnē (Branta sandvicensis), is the sole remaining endemic large-bodied fowl within the Hawaiian Islands. It was reduced to an estimated 30 wild birds in 19491, and its endangered status remains 60 years later. Intensive recovery efforts have increased nēnē populations on Hawaiˊi Island and reestablished on Kauai, Maui and Molokai. A unique behavior among nēnē from Hakalau has been noted since the introduction of a population at Hakalau Forest NWR in 1996. Nēnē from Hakalau leave refuge grounds during the summer months, a novel movement previously undocumented since the 1940s1, and until recently their summering locations remained unknown. It is now known that a number of Hakalau nēnē spend summers at Kahuku, a recent satellite park addition to Hawaiˊi Volcanoes National Park (HAVO) and an area used historically by nēnē1. Habitat use and diet studies completed within HAVO have been extremely useful in understanding nēnē behavior and protecting them within the park, but that knowledge does not properly characterize nēnē using other areas. No habitat selection or habitat use studies of nēnē have been conducted at Kahuku or Hakalau. Very little is known about which areas and how nēnē are using Kahuku. Similarly, it is unknown where nēnē roost when they are at Hakalau. Currently, five nēnē are outfitted with satellite transmitters to provide researchers with such information, providing daytime and nighttime GPS locations. Based on satellite telemetry data and behavioral observations, my preliminary work identifies nēnē use areas at Kahuku comprised of mostly native habitat, while habitat use at HFNWR appears to concentrate on grassy lawn and parking areas. Nēnē also appear to be selecting roost locations at Kahuku for substrate type (pahoehoe lava flow) and significant distance from roads and trails; presumably this is to avoid predation. In addition, most nēnē are present at Kahuku only during summer months and return to HFNWR in the fall. I am interested in identifying habitat preferences and comparing habitat selection between sites and seasons. Valuable information will be gained once habitat preferences and habitat use at these two sites are quantified. It will guide restoration efforts and identify important high use areas that need predator protection, allowing managers to prioritize efforts and focus resources in the most efficient manner. Once research is completed, information will be available to the public visiting HAVO and its Kahuku satellite in the form of an exhibit or brochure, and potentially a USGS fact sheet. Research results will also be presented to visitors at Hakalau’s annual open house. In addition, study results will be presented at regional conferences and meetings.

1

Kear, J. and A. J. Berger. 1980. The Hawaiian Goose: An Experiment in Conservation. Buteo Books, Vermillion, SD, USA.

Outside Funding Sources and In-kind Contributions Contribution Funding Source type Amount Hawaiˊi Volcanoes National Park

Monetary In-kind

Hakalau Forest NWR

In-kind

Access Field assistance

Pohakuloa Training Area

In-kind

10 satellite transmitters Data

Hawaiˊi Dept. of Forestry & Wildlife

In-kind

Data

$284,000 Field assistance

Predicted Costs Item

Amount

Vehicle fuel Estimated 20 field trips

$600

Plant ID books

$200

Field Equipment: Hiking boots Measurement tools

$150 $50

Total costs

$1,000