Hawaii is probably not the first place that comes to mind if wildlife is your cup of tea.

But if visitors look long enough in the right places, the rewards are worth the effort, especially when it comes to Hawaii’s state bird, the nene.

Kilauea Lighthouse on Kauai is the northernmost point of the main Hawaiian Islands. It once claimed to have the largest lens if its kind — a beacon to passing ships. That historic lens has long since been replaced by a low-maintenance light.

Today, the lighthouse is one of the most-visited sites on the island and is home to a burgeoning population of nene, Hawaii’s state bird, which is on the endangered species list.

A distant relative of the Canada goose, it is native to the Hawaiian Islands and has earned a spot on the endangered species list, having been hunted to near extinction by humans and predators alike.

While nene on the Big Island face the added threat of mongooses, which enjoy dining on the eggs, the birds on Kauai seem to have a better chance of survival. The island is mongoose-free and folks are intent on keeping it that way.

“Without mongoose, I think nene, as well as all of the other bird species nesting on Kauai, have a better chance of survival,” said Brenda Zaun, a biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kauai National Wildlife Refuge Complex.

“Dogs, cats, rats and barn owls certainly take their toll, but one less predator is an important factor in the success of the nene population growth on Kauai.”

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(Source: Bill Wagner, Special to the Redding Record Searchlight)