APHIS Conserving Hawaii’s Large Native Birds – Nēnē and Laysan Albatross

USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services and Partners Use Innovative Tools to Conserve Hawaii’s Large Birds
In 2021, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) was awarded the prestigious Presidential Migratory Bird Federal Stewardship Award from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for its work to protect some of Hawaii’s most culturally significant birds – the Hawaiian goose, or nēnē, and the Laysan albatross. Because of their large size, both species pose a potential strike risk at airfields on Kauai. APHIS’ Wildlife Services (WS) research and operations experts collaborated with numerous partners not only to reduce strike hazards presented by these species, but also to increase the species’ populations and nesting habitats elsewhere on the island.