The Road to Nēnē Recovery: A New Project Aims to Address Nēnē Deaths in Westside Kauaʻi.
Nēnē are frequently seen gathered on the roadside along The Kaumualiʻi Highway in Mānā Plains, which puts them at risk of vehicle collisions. Photo credit: Jill Soller
October 30, 2025
The Mānā Plains Nēnē Project was officially launched today. The project aims to reduce the number of nēnē road deaths on a five-mile stretch of highway in West Kauaʻi.
The nēnē, which is a symbol of Hawaiʻi and the official State Bird, was almost driven to extinction in the 1950s. Since then, through dedicated conservation and community efforts across the State, the species has been recovering but it is still the rarest goose in the world, with a population of just under 4,000 individuals. Kauaʻi is home to the majority of those birds.
Data collected in recent years has shown that the five-mile stretch of highway from Second Ditch in Kekaha to beyond the Kawaiʻele Waterbird Sanctuary, has some of the highest nēnē deaths in the State. In 2024 alone, over 25 nēnē were reported killed here, along with other Endangered birds including the ʻalae ʻula (Hawaiian Common Gallinule) and ʻalae keʻokeʻo (Hawaiian Coot).
“It’s upsetting to see how many birds are being killed along this highway,” said Jillian Soller, Project Manager. “During nesting season, when one member of a pair is killed, the other often stays to mourn them in the road and is killed too. Sometimes, entire families with goslings are wiped out in one go. That’s why we are excited to be launching this project. We will be working in partnership with State agencies (including the Division of Forestry and Wildlife, and the Department of Transportation), local businesses and land managers to come up with workable solutions to reduce these fatalities.”
Five nēnē have been found injured or dead along The Kaumualiʻi Highway in the past 2 weeks alone, including this adult who was struck by a car and killed. Photo credit: Jill Soller
The project, run by Archipelago Research and Conservation (ARC) will be carrying out research to assess why this particular stretch of highway is so dangerous for the species. The project will use a combination of road use surveys, data collected on dead birds, and movement data gathered from adult birds that were fitted with tracking devices, to gain a better understanding of nēnē behavior and cause of death of here. The project will work with partners to explore how to tackle this problem.
With five nēnē already found injured or dead in the highway’s immediate vicinity in the last two weeks alone, the public is asked to keep an eye out for native Hawaiian wildlife in the area. The nēnē breeding season has now started, so the birds will soon be on the move with their babies. Please report any injured or dead nēnē to Anna with DOFAW at 808-634-0963. You can find out more here.
Archipelago Research and Conservation is an ecological consulting company, specializing in the conservation, research and management of Hawaii’s endangered seabirds and waterbirds. The project is funded by the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) - Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) through the Department of Defense REPI program.
Contact:
Jill Soller, Archipelago Research and Conservation
Mānā Plains Nēnē Project Manager
jilliansoller@arckauai.com
805-279-2197 www.archipelagoresearchandconservation.com/mana-plains-nene-project
