- Where to see one
- 5 U.S. zoos in our directory hold nene, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.
Conservation status
Not Evaluated
This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List, so it sits outside the threat scale entirely.
About the nene
The nene, or Hawaiian goose, is a bird found only in the Hawaiian Islands and is the official state bird of Hawaii. In the wild it lives on Maui, Kauai, Molokai and Hawaii, in shrubland, grassland, coastal dunes and lava plains from sea level to as much as 2,400 m. It spends most of its time on the ground but can fly. The webbing on its feet is reduced compared with a typical Branta goose, an adaptation to walking on cooled lava. It is a herbivore that grazes or browses on the leaves, seeds, fruit and flowers of grasses and shrubs. Its breeding season, from August to April, is longer than that of any other goose.
Nene facts
- Unlike most other waterfowl, the nene mates on land.
- It is thought to have evolved from Canada geese that reached Hawaii about 500,000 years ago.
- Its Hawaiian name comes from its soft call.
- Goslings can feed on their own and stay with their parents until the next breeding season.
Where to see nene in the U.S.
5 zoos across 5 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 4 zoos holding nene by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.
1 more zoo holds nene but has no coordinates on file yet, so it isn't ranked here. It's in the full list below.
Connecticut· 1
Mississippi· 1
Pennsylvania· 1
Texas· 1
Utah· 1
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Built from each zoo's own published animal list.
