Hawaiian Goose
A species of Black geese, Also known as Nene Goose Scientific name : Branta sandvicensis Genus : Black geese
Hawaiian Goose, A species of Black geese
Also known as:
Nene Goose
Botanical name: Branta sandvicensis
Genus: Black geese
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Description People often ask General Info
Photo By Caracas1830 , used under CC-BY-SA-2.5 /Cropped and compressed from original 
Description
The nene is a medium-sized goose at 41 cm (16 in) tall. Although they spend most of their time on the ground, they are capable of flight, with some individuals flying daily between nesting and feeding areas. Females have a mass of 1.525–2.56 kg (3.36–5.64 lb), while males average 1.695–3.05 kg (3.74–6.72 lb), 11% larger than females. Adult males have a black head and hindneck, buff cheeks and heavily furrowed neck. The neck has black and white diagonal stripes. Aside from being smaller, the female Nene is similar to the male in colouration. The adult's bill, legs and feet are black. It has soft feathers under its chin. Goslings resemble the male, but are a duller brown and with less demarcation between the colors of the head and neck, and striping and barring effects are much reduced. 
Size
56-71 cm (22-28 in)
Life Expectancy
28 years (wild), 42 years (captives)
Feeding Habits
Hawaiian Goose primarily consumes vegetation including grass leaves, berries, seeds, and flowers. Their feeding behavior is mostly foraging, occasionally ingesting invertebrates incidentally. They have adapted to exploit a variety of plant-based foods.
Habitat
Gighlands, leeward lowlands, mid- and high-elevation habitats on Hawai‘i and Maui Is, managed grass below 300 m elevation, coastal strand vegetation, upland areas of managed grass in Köke‘e State Park, bogs of Alaka‘i Swamp
Dite type
Herbivorous
People often ask
General Info
Species Status
The nene is the world's rarest goose. It is believed that it was once common, with approximately 25,000 Hawaiian geese living in Hawaiʻi when Captain James Cook arrived in 1778. Hunting and introduced predators, such as small Asian mongooses, pigs, and cats, reduced the population to 30 birds by 1952. The species breeds well in captivity, and has been successfully re-introduced. In 2004, it was estimated that there were 800 birds in the wild, as well as 1,000 in wildfowl collections and zoos. There is concern about inbreeding due to the small initial population of birds. The nature reserve WWT Slimbridge, in England, was instrumental in the successful breeding of Hawaiian geese in captivity. Under the direction of conservationist Peter Scott, it was bred back from the brink of extinction during the 1950s for later re-introduction into the wild in Hawaiʻi. There are still Hawaiian geese at Slimbridge today. They can now be found in captivity in multiple WWT centres. Successful introductions include Haleakala and Piʻiholo ranches on Maui. The nene population stands at 2,500 birds.
Scientific Classification
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