Three injured nene released into sanctuary

Three injured nene — including one with an amputated wing — were released into the Hawaii Island Nene Sanctuary on Maunakea earlier this month.

The 100-acre sanctuary was originally created to receive 600 Kauai nene that were relocated to Hawaii Island. Since then, hundreds of the birds return to the sanctuary to mate and nest, although the three newest additions have joined a more permanent population of nene on land designed just for them.

The first two nene were brought to the sanctuary on Aug. 5.

“One had a toe injury that healed very well,” Hawaii Wildlife Center veterinarian Juan Guerra said in a statement. “I have a very good feeling that it’s going to do great in the wild. The other nene had a tough recovery after coming in with a broken leg. It was in our care for six months and had multiple surgeries.

“The bone has healed well, and I don’t think it’s going to affect the bird’s quality of life,” Guerra went on. “The limp it has is more mechanical than painful, so I’m hopeful its injury will continue to heal and whatever discomfort it is having will be less over time.”

A third bird was released into the sanctuary two weeks later with an amputated wing, and is expected to survive there with few problems.

“For the nene who have been injured and probably would not survive in the wild, we have worked over the years to have this predator-proof sanctuary where they can survive and not be harassed by predators like cats and mongoose,” said Raymond McGuire, a wildlife biologist with the state Division of Forestry and Wildlife. “They can still nest if they find a mate here, so they still contribute to the genetic diversity of the population.”

Nene are currently listed as “near threatened” by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature after decades of conservation work to bring the species back from the brink of extinction in the 1950s.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources warns that contact between nene and humans — particularly when humans try to feed the birds — leads the geese to become used to humans and risk injuries from human activities.