Nene

Photograph by Richard Shirley

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Nene - Anatidae Branta sandvicensis

I photographed this Nene (there were several present) at Kilauea on Kauai. Not a great background, but a clear shot of a living Nene. The Nene is clearly different from the widespread Canada Goose (see below).

From Wikipedia: "This is the world's rarest goose. It is believed that it once was common, with approximately 25,000 Hawaiian Geese living in Hawaii when Captain James Cook arrived in 1778. However, hunting and introduced predators, such as small Asian mongooses, pigs, and cats, reduced the population to 30 birds by 1952. However, this species breeds well in captivity, and has been successfully re-introduced; in 2004, it was estimated that there were 800 birds in the wild, as well as 1000 in wildfowl collections and zoos."

Canada Goose - Anatidae Branta canadensis

Copyright Richard Shirley; all rights reserved; images are protected under US copyright laws and may not be copied or reproduced in any manner.


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