Posted on: Friday, January 18, 2002

Special nene killed in car accident

By Timothy Hurley
Advertiser Maui County Bureau

"IV," an endangered nene that wildlife researchers had grown fond of, died after hit by a car on a Haleakala National Park road Monday. National Park Service

HALEAKALA NATIONAL PARK — On average, about one endangered Hawaiian goose is killed on park roads each year. But when a car struck and killed a nene this week, wildlife researchers took the news especially hard.

The reason: This wasn't your average nene.

In fact, "IV,'' as researchers had dubbed the female, was perhaps the most closely watched member of the species, achieving about as much celebrity as a single nene can get.

Not only was she a prolific producer of offspring — researchers estimate she was responsible for 10 percent of the park's nene population — but she was one of six birds being "adopted'' to donors of the Friends of Haleakala National Park in the nonprofit's biggest fund-raiser.

Park scientists saw IV's mother die at nearly the same spot in the road 10 years ago and continued to observe and chronicle her "soap opera'' doings over the next decade.

"Usually I don't get emotional — because this happens,'' said Cathleen Natividad, the park's endangered species program manager. "But when they told me it was IV, my heart just sank. Of all the birds, why this one?''

Another colleague burst into tears when she heard which bird was killed early Monday. The accident was about a quarter mile past the park's entrance and beyond a sign advising motorists to watch for nene on the road.

"I don't know why she was hit. She knows the area. She's really smart,'' Natividad said.

In a life spanning 11 years, IV produced 20 nene that are now part of the wild population at Haleakala, which numbers between 200 and 250. There are about 900 nene statewide.

If IV had lived to the average age for a Haleakala nene — 25 years — the female could have produced another 20 offspring, Natividad said.

At Haleakala, the nene population continues to be hampered by the lack of nutrition for goslings. And for a population that is in danger of extinction, Natividad said, the loss of this key bird is significant.

"It's a huge loss,'' she said. "She was productive. A lot of them are not.''

Scientists say nene frequently cross the park road from October through March, which is peak nesting season there. Unlike other birds, nene do not flee when approached by cars because visitors often feed the birds from their vehicles.

"It's pretty sad,'' said Mary Evanson, founder of the Friends of Haleakala National Park and the person who must inform the 20 or so individuals who adopted IV about the bird's death.

Evanson had recently mailed an update recounting what researchers had observed about the female.

It seems IV was challenging long-held assumptions about whether nene actually mate for life. Recently, a male had chased away IV's mate of 10 years during the summertime flocking season. She took up with the new male.

A few months later, another male, having lost a mate to a car accident, chased away IV's second mate. She took up with the new male.

The latest mate continued by IV's side, and the female was mothering a 3-week-old gosling when she lost her life. The young one hasn't been seen since the accident and is presumed dead.

Park officials said the male was seen yesterday belting out the long, mournful honks of a grieving nene.