Nene

Ohelo Vaccinium reticulatum (and V. peleanum) and kukaenene Coprosma ernodeoides […] are the most important berries in the Nenes’ diet, and it is probably from such juicy fruit that much of their water intake comes.

Today, both wild and domestic dogs are a serious threat to Hawai‘i's native wildlife. The dogs prey on both seabirds and open country birds, especially the Hawaiian goose, nēnē. However, feral dogs aren't all bad, because one of their favorite foods is rats.

Scientists think the nēnē descended from Canada geese that landed on Hawai‘i long before humans arrived. As they survived on the isolated islands for generation after generation, the geese gradually changed, becoming a new species. Today's nēnē, unlike its water-loving ancestor, is a land bird.

The nene is a handsome bird that almost became extinct in the wild but was reintroduced successfully from ones bred in captivity.

Among the iconic flora and fauna found here are […] the endangered nene (Hawaiian goose). After almost going extinct, nene were reintroduced into the national park in 1962 when Boy Scouts carried geese that had been raised in captivity down into Haleakala volcano in their backpacks.