ities on the slopes of Mauna Loa and Hualalai 

 volcanoes, chiefly between the 1,600- and 2,400- 

 m elevations. Its former range was reported to 

 have been much more extensive , even reaching to 

 the seashore, although records of earlier writers 

 are dubious (Baldwin 1945; Elder 1958). Nene 

 bones considered of Pleistocene or early recent 

 age are found on all the main Hawaiian Islands; 

 those of most recent age, probably dating to the 

 Polynesian occupancy, are on Molokai (Storrs 

 Olson pers. comm. 1977). 



At present, breeding is recorded primarily in 

 three areas: Keauhou Sanctuary, on the east slope 

 of Mauna Loa ; Kahuku Sanctuary , on the southern 

 slope of Mauna Loa; and Keauhou 2 Sanctuary, 

 on the southeast slope of Haulalai (Hawaii Div. 

 Fish & Game 1972). 



The only known major seasonal movement of 

 the populations is from the winter breeding areas 

 on the higher mountain slopes to a summering 

 area on the saddle between Mauna Loa and Mauna 

 Kea. The summering flock makes daily flights 

 from their nighttime range in the vicinity of Puu 

 Oo Ranch southeast of Mauna Kea and north of 

 the Saddle Road to the daytime range on lava 

 flows on the slopes of Mauna Loa, at least 15 

 miles away (Woodside 1956; Ripley 1965;Hawaii 

 Div. Fish & Game 1972). 



RANGE MAP 



The following map is adapted from Elder and 

 Woodside (1958); National Park Service, Hawaii 

 17004, 1963; Zimmerman 1975. 



STATES/COUNTIES 



Hawaii: Hawaii, Maui 



HABITAT 



Nene are usually seen on mountain slopes be- 

 tween 1525 and 2440 m elevation. Nesting and 

 feeding habitat is supplied by kipukas, or islands 

 of vegetation on lava flows, ranging in size from 

 less than 1 ha to several thousand hectares. 

 Vegetation grows on decomposing lava in various 

 stages of succession from lichens on bare rock to 

 such pioneering plants as ohelo [Vaccinium sp.), 

 kukainene [Coprosma emodioides), gosmore {Hy- 

 pochaeris radicata), pukeawe {Styphelia tameia- 

 meiae), and various grasses. Older kipukas with 

 deeper soils are vegetated with aalii [Dodonaea 

 viscosa), mamane (Sophora chrysophylla), ohia 

 [Metrosideros collina), and koa [Acacia koa) in 



association with other shrubs and grasses. Rain- 

 fall is one of the most important factors in de- 

 composition of lava and the progress of ecological 

 succession. Average annual rainfall from 1960 

 through 1969 in the nene range on Mauna Loa at 

 2,042 m was 154 cm (Hawaii Div. Fish and Game 

 1972). 



FOOD AND FORAGING BEHAVIOR 



Nene are vegetarians. They consume a variety 

 of available foods, but show a marked preference 

 for gosmore [Hypochaeris radicata), eating the 

 leaves, buds, and flowers. Ohelo {Vaccinium sp.) 

 and kukainene [Coprosma emodioides) are the 

 most important food berries in nene sanctuaries. 

 The geese feed most heavily during morning and 

 late afternoon. Goats and pigs are not numerous 

 enough to be serious competitors to nene, even 

 though they graze on the same plants. In some 

 instances pigs may be beneficial by stimulating 

 growth of gosmore and other succulents. At the 

 present time, food resources are not considered a 

 limiting factor to nene in the wild (Baldwin 1947; 

 Hawau Div. Fish and Game 1972). 



Although nene do eat berries, their preference 

 is for greens, especially the succulent leaves, stems 

 and buds of pusdele [Sonchus oleraceus) and gos- 

 more [Hypochaeris radicata). Also, the nene strips 

 seeds from the heads of grasses and sedges. At 

 more frequented altitudes, 1525 to 2440 m, there 

 is no evidence of food shortage at any season. 

 Grasses and greens are never scarce in that zone of 

 high moisture and infrequent frosts (Elder 1958). 

 In captivity, nene prefer green feed over com- 

 mercial mixtures (Hawaii Div. Fish & Game 1972). 



Nene in the wild do not appear to be attracted 

 to water. At waterholes, they seem to be con- 

 cerned only with succulent green vegetation for 

 food. Drinking water is obtained from fog and 

 dew condensed on vegetation (Elder 1958; Hawaii 

 Div. Fish & Game 1972). 



SHELTER REQUIREMENTS 



Low bushes for concealing nests are the only 

 known shelter requirements (Hawaii Div. Fish and 

 Game 1972). 



NESTING OR BEDDING 



Most nests have been found under pukeawe 

 bushes or scrub ohia trees, where the goose scoops 

 out a shallow depression in the litter or duff. 



