LILIUOKALANI PARK, Hawaii (KHON2) — The Nēnē Research and Conservation team and the Department of Land and Natural Resources are on high alert after a dog trampled a nēnē nest.
Officials took to social media to announce the incident, which took place a few days ago while crews were clearing cat food from Liliuokalani Park.
As they cleaned, the alarm call of a nesting female nēnē was heard nearby. Upon arriving at the scene, officials found a leashed dog sniffing and trampling the nēnē’s nest.
The social media post added two adult humans stood by and watched the situation unfold.
“As we approached, the adults became unruly, ignoring our attempts to explain why their actions were harmful,” said Nene Research and Conservation.
On Monday, Dec. 2, crews returned to the nest to find thousands of flies surrounding the nest and at least one cracked egg.
“We watched as the female nēnē moved the remaining viable eggs out of the nest and carefully cleaned out the broken egg’s remains and shell.”
Cats and mongoose were also seen canvassing the area.
The section of the park has been closed by Friends of Liliuokalani and Hawaii County Parks.
“We are committed to exploring additional ways our community can help prevent such incidents and ensure the safety of our native species.”
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All tips regarding the bothering of nēnē should be reported to the DLNR by calling (808) 643-3567 or made through the DLNRTip app.