Fauna

Animals of Hawai'i

Birds

The protected Nene goose is endemic to Hawai'i and is slowly making a comeback. This goose is native to the rocky slopes of Hawai'i's volcanoes, but I often saw them at the Waiakea fishpond in downtown Hilo.

Nene at the Waiakea fishpond
Hilo, Hawai'i (January 21^st, '08)

Nene crossing sign
Volcanoes National Park, Hawai'i (February 18^th, '08)

Nene in the parking lot
Volcanoes National Park, Hawai'i (February 18^th, '08)

Nene at the bird sanctuary
Kilauea Point, Kaua'i (March 13^th, '08)

Nene at the Waiakea Villas
Hilo, Hawai'i (May 16^th, '08)

The Waiakea fishpond had a huge variety of ducks and geese.

Geese at the Waiakea fishpond
Hilo, Hawai'i (May 16^th, '08)

Geese at the Waiakea fishpond
Hilo, Hawai'i (May 22^nd, '08)

Goslings at the Waiakea fishpond
Hilo, Hawai'i (May 22^nd, '08)

Most of the islands of Hawai'i also have large populations of wild chickens. They are quite tame and tend to hang out in parking lots.

Wild chickens
South Shore, Kaua'i (March 14^th, '08)

Chicks
South Shore, Kaua'i (March 14^th, '08)

Hawai'i's common birds are more colourful than the sparrows and crows I'm used to. Hawai'i also has a wide variety of seabirds in protected sanctuaries.

Saffron finch
Pu'uhonua o Honaunau, Hawai'i (February 17^th, '08)

Red-crested cardinal
Road to Hana, Maui (March 10^th, '08)

Hawai'ian stilts
Ma'alaea, Maui (March 8^th, '08)

Sanderling at a bird sanctuary
Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i (April 12^th, '08)

Honu: The Hawai'ian Green Sea Turtle

Another species in danger is the green sea turtle ('honu' in Hawai'ian) which makes the islands' waters its home.

Green sea turtle basking on the beach
Pu'uhonua o Honaunau, Hawai'i (February 17^th, '08)

Green sea turtle basking on the beach
Pu'uhonua o Honaunau, Hawai'i (February 17^th, '08)

Seals

I was fortunate enough to see one of Hawai'i's endangered monk seals basking on a beach.

Hawai'ian Monk Seal
Poipu Beach, Kaua'i (March 16^th, '08)

Lizards

A wide variety of geckos and other lizards can be spotted in Hawai'i.

Gecko on my lanai
Hilo, Hawai'i (February 3^rd, '08)

Gecko at the Painted Church
Captain Cook, Hawai'i (April 13^th, '08)

Lizard at the Painted Church
Captain Cook, Hawai'i (April 13^th, '08)

Lizard at the Painted Church
Captain Cook, Hawai'i (April 13^th, '08)

Lizard at the Painted Church
Captain Cook, Hawai'i (April 13^th, '08)

Invertebrates

If you don't like creepy crawlies, Hawai'i is not for you! Hawai'ian apartments are known for their cockroaches, and I had my fair share. I also had a huge cane spider (about 3 inches wide) and a poisonous centipede (about 6 inches long) come for a visit.

A camouflage stick bug on my bicycle at the Makenzie campground
Puna, Hawai'i (March 29^th, '08)

Poisonous centipede
Hilo, Hawai'i (April 10^th, '08)

Cane spider inside my apartment
Hilo, Hawai'i (May 22^nd, '08)

Camouflage crab on the beach
Moloka'i (May 6^th, '08)