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Population and Reproductive Trends of Nene Branta Sandvicensis in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park,1989-1999

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Population and Reproductive Trends of Nene Branta Sandvicensis in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park,1989-1999 . I ( 7 Population and reproductive trends of Nene Branta sandvicensis in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park,1989-1999 E.H. Rave1, A. Cooper1,2, D. Hu3, R. Swift4,5 & K. Misajon4 1Department of Biology, Bemidji State University, Bemidji, MN 56601 USA. Email: [email protected] 2Biology Department, Minnesota State University Moorhead, Moorhead, MN 56563, USA. 3Pacific West Regional Office Honolulu, P.O. Box 52, Hawaii National Park, HI 96718, USA. 'Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, P.O. Box 52, Hawaii National Park, HI 96718, USA. 5Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawaii, P.O. Box 52, Hawaii National Park, HI 96718, USA. The Hawaiian Goose or Nene Branta sandvicensis is an endangered species endemic to Hawaii. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park contains about 41% of Nene on the island of Hawaii. Population numbers, reproductive success and causes of known adult mortality of Nene in the park were summarised from 1989 to 1999 in order to determine population and reproductive trends. Reproductive data were also pooled across years to determine overall reproductive success at several sites within the park. Numbers in the park generally increased throughout ( the decade, from 153 birds in 1990/1991 to 203 in 1997/1998. Annual hatching success averaged 55%, whereas annual fledgling production averaged 11 birds. Fledgling production varied among sites, from Oat Mauna Loa and Kipuka Kahalii to 32 at Pen 7. The most common cause of known adult mortality was road kill. Population numbers increased throughout the decade probably, in part, because of intensive predator control. However, recruitment remained low because of starvation, dehydration and predation on goslings. Nene at certain sites within the park had high reproductive success, perhaps because those sites contained more nutritious food for adults and goslings or had supplemental food and water provided to the birds. Managers need to continue to control predators and improve or restore habitat to maximise Nene population numbers. Key Words: Branta sandvicensis, Hawaiian Goose, Nene, population trends, reproductive success © Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust Wildfowl [2005) 55: 7-16 I 8 Reproductive trends of Nene The Hawaiian Goose or Nene Branta throughout the 1990s, population sandvicensis is an endangered species estimates, reproductive success and endemic to Hawaii. Nene were causes of known adult mortality of perilously close to extinction in 1950, Nene were summarised from 1989 when only 17 wild birds were known to to 1999. It is hoped that any trends exist, all on the island of Hawaii !Elder & observed will assist park personnel in Woodside 19581. To help increase Nene managing Nene better in HVNP. numbers, the state of Hawaii initiated a captive colony in 1949, with the goal Methods of re-establishing self-sustaining wild populations. Beginning in 1960, captive This study was conducted in HVNP, a birds were released at several sites 930-km2 park located on the island of on Hawaii, including Hawaii Volcanoes Hawaii (Figure 11. From 1989 to 1999, National Park !HVNPI !Kear & Berger yearly numbers of Nene in HVNP were 19801. Captive birds have continued to determined. Because Nene breed on be released at HVNP throughout the a declining day length !Kear & Berger past 45 years. Nene currently found 19801, and thus begin to breed in in HVNP descend from these captive­ October, yearsweredefinedas 1 October released birds, as well as from the to 30 September. During each year, last remaining wild Nene found on the all ringed wild and captive-released island in the 1950s. birds were counted. !Wild birds were Today, about 41% of the island's caught and ringed opportunistically, ( Nene population resides in and around and captive birds were ringed prior to HVNP (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service their release.I Unringed birds were 20041. Management practices such as counted by their affiliation with their predator control, habitat restoration ringed mates, as Nene usually pair for and reducing the birds' contact life !Black et al. 19961. Unringed birds with humans have concentrated on without ringed mates were counted enhancing reproductive success on the one day each year when the and survival of wild Nene. In order greatest number of unringed birds to determine whether management was seen. These measures ensured practices are working, Nene numbers that a high proportion of the population in HVNP have been surveyed. Surveys was counted. Captive birds located in conducted in the 1970s showed a HVNP were also counted because they substantial decrease in Nene numbers contributed offspring to the park's Nene in HVNP, from 300 birds in 1975 to 50 in numbers. All ringed birds counted in a 1979 !W.S. Devick, Hawaii Department given year were also included in the of Land and Natural Resources, estimate for the following year, even unpublished data!. However, numbers if they were not sighted the following increased throughout the 1980s, from year. However, if two years elapsed 75 birds in 1981 to 179 birds in 1988 without sighting a specific bird, it was !Hoshide et al. 19901. considered dead and was removed To determine numbers and from that year's estimate. Additionally, reproductive trends of Nene in HVNP if a bird was known to have died during ( ;----. � I • � z -n a, u::i-· z -.....·C Island of Hawaii (I) 0 -, �. � "'""C1) "U • -,a, r0 -;,:;-n - a, :::t. I 0 a, ::, ,· :E 0 , -a, , :-· ,.....- (f)(I) ::,­ "" / ;:::;.: - (I) ..... '<'�-.,,' - -,' (/1 0 .,, -, (/1 -...::.. ,, (I) ..... --- J ,.-' r.,,"/ 3' ':l , -cc.. /' -. nro '< ,. t ... ,,- ,, \.,-... ... r\ ..... (/1 I ::, -· ,;' CraterRim \ \ ro Park Boundary , (/1 '°(/1 D ... , /',,, Roads 9�- Road ) Chainof §"· :E ., 1, lO ;:::;.: a-aters ,, Road a, ::,­ NeneAreas 5''..''\.. , 8 I ::, 3· "-" I 7 ,,, 4 ,-,� Cl. a, 1 Mauna Loa C" ::, j-l 6 '-�---:;=,, 2 Kau Desert ., cl Cl. .:f-,/' ,, 0 a, 3 Kilauea /2 ,........ ,, Cl. Cl. / ::;·'iii·n 4 Ainahou ,' lO (I) 5 Ainahou Big Pen -,a, ;;o (I) � CD / ..... "tJ-, 6 Pen? / � 0 0 C. 7 KipukaNene ::,-I C ,,,, a, !:l. 8 KipukaKahalii -· :.:· � :E CD 0 a, 9 UppperChain of - -, -, · CD 5 0 5 10 Kilometers n· ::, Craters Road < C. a, 0 "' 10 Coast �n e. a, C z + ::, CD (/1 0 ::, (I) CD Cl. � -0 10 Reproductive trends of Nene ( a given year, it was not counted in that enclosures that were built to enhance year's estimate. reproductive success of Nene nesting Similar to the methods of Hoshide et within them. Supplemental food and al. (19901, the number of breeding pairs water are provided to Nene inside the and the number of nesting attempts of pens, and a fence and a perimeter wild and captive-released Nene were trapline protect nests and birds determined each year in HVNP by from introduced predators such as counting [11 number of known nests, Indian Mongoose Herpestes javanicus, (21 birds associated with goslings or rats Rattus rattus, R. exulans and R. newly-fledged young, and (31 females norvegicus, Feral Cat Felis catus and that were gravid [based on abdominal Feral Pig Sus scrofa. Although Ainahou profile, Zillich & Black 20021 or had Big Pen (constructed in 1994) is still brood patches. Yearly egg production in use, Pen 7 was built at a time when and hatching success were determined little was known about appropriate by finding nests and counting the habitat for Nene. Consequently, it was number of eggs laid and the number of constructed in sub-optimal habitat and eggs that hatched. Because nests were used by nesting Nene only through the often difficult to find, egg and hatching 1996/1997 breeding season. data from known nests were a subset Additionally, causes of known adult of total nesting attempts. Fledgling mortality were summarised across all production was determined by years of the study. following the fate of all known goslings, regardless of whether the nests from Results ( which they came were found. Reproductive data across all years Numbers of Nene generally increased were pooled to determine overall throughout the study, from 153 reproductive success for each of 10 birds in 1990/1991 to 203 birds in sites within and adjacent to HVNP. The 1997/1998. However, numbers declined chosen sites reflected nesting and approximately 10% during the last year brooding locations historically used by of the study (Table 1). Nene. Sites were [11 Mauna Loa (2,012 Reproductive success fluctuated ml. (21 Kau Desert [726-914 ml. [3) greatly throughout the study. The Kilauea (1,220 ml. (41 Ainahou [726- percentage of the population that 838 ml. (5) Ainahou Big Pen [838 ml. bred each year varied from 26% to [6) Pen 7 [729 ml. (7) Kipuka Nene [900 46% (Table 11. with an overall mean of ml. [8) Kipuka Kahalii [853-945 ml. (9) 35%. The number of nesting attempts Upper Chain of Craters Road (31-1,128 varied from 22 to 48, with some pairs ml, which includes all non-coastal attempting more than one nest per areas along the road, and [101 Coast year [Table 1). Of those nests that were [<31 ml. which includes the coastal found, the mean clutch size was 2.7 region of Chain of Craters Road and all eggs. Yearly hatching success of known other regions along the coast [Figure nests varied from 44% to 77% (Table 11. Ainahou Big Pen [5 ha) and Pen 7 11; of these hatchlings, only 30%, on (0.5 ha) are both fenced, open-topped average, fledged [range = 0-50%). ( /""\. � I - � a. ,, er a.1 -u z -u G) rn < ::J --t IDc lDO<O 0 CD 0J Breeding Nesting Eggs Eggs Goslings � VI (") r+D" .... ;::ID 3;::ID ��3· � a a h QJ CT Year N pairs attempts laid hatched fledged 3· C1) � � � lC �- � ll> ll> Ul 0.. � lO CD a, ���;:!!a, VI r+ -< o;o�� 1989/1990 CD 0 166 25 26 31 24 2 z ;; i� (l) d ro w <O :i: ID 0.
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