This is getting old. Despite numerous news stories and warnings in many forms, people aren’t getting that they have to keep away from wild animals in Hawaii. This is especially true of virtually all aquatic wildlife and endemic birds since they’re nearly all threatened or endangered.
You may be wondering why I’m bringing this subject up again. Well, over the past week, two incidents showed that visitors and locals alike still haven’t got the message. In fact, it seems like things are getting worse. So, it’s worth reminding everyone to keep away from wild animals in Hawaii.
Nene Napping
On March 23, a 57-year-old Hilo woman decided to abduct a Nene gosling from the Wailoa River State Recreational Area. Apparently, the woman fed the adult Nene geese in the area to distract them, at which point she grabbed the gosling and threw it into an onion bag. Luckily, resident Lilinoe Kahalepauole saw the whole thing go down and followed the assailant as she hopped in her car and drove off.
While in pursuit, Kahalepauole’s husband called the Hawaii Island Police Department and the Department of Land and Natural Resources, which used her license plate and car description to track her down in Kea’au. Hawaii Police Department officers then pulled her over and discovered the gosling in an onion bag, in a bucket, near the rear of her car.
After recovering the gosling, DLNR’s Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) cited the woman for taking, injuring, or destroying wild birds; taking, possessing, processing, selling, offering for sale, transporting endangered or threatened species; and trapping, taking, catching, or possessing a wild bird or mammal or disturbing their habitat.
Thankfully, the gosling is ok and has been reunited with its parents, albeit at a wildlife refuge, to ensure they don’t reject it. The woman, on the other hand, will make her first court appearance on May 19.
Dolphin Harrassers
Our second example of why you need to keep away from wild animals in Hawaii involves visitors. Lots of them. Like the first story, this incident takes place on the Big Island. Specifically, it occurred in Honaunau Bay in South Kona. There, a group of 33 people aggressively pursued a pod of Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins and attempted to trap and corral them.
In this instance, DOCARE officers making regular patrols witnessed the incident and recorded it via drone. Officers then notified the group of the violation while still in the water and eventually met them on land.
What’s happening to these individuals, we don’t know yet. Hawaii DLNR and NOAA have opened an investigation and could end up assessing each person with $11,000 in fines and could sentence them to up to a year in prison.
For future reference, it’s worth noting that the Federal Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 makes it illegal to harass any wild marine mammal. However, Spinner Dolphins have an extra layer of protection, which prohibits people from approaching spinner dolphins from coming within 50 yards of them in waters two miles from shore in the main Hawaiian Islands, along with other designated waters.
Keep Away From Wild Animals in Hawaii, Final Thoughts
These two incidents, along with many others we’ve seen over the years, exemplifies that people just need to keep away from wild animals in Hawaii. If you don’t keep away for the animals’ sake, do it for yourself. If you’re not familiar with the rules, it’s best to stay away to ensure you don’t get slapped with a fine, jail time, or worse.