|
Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge
Maui, Hawaii
A photo and information about the Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge
on the south shore of the island of Maui in Hawaii.
Photo Credit: Forest & Kim Starr (USGS)
I think this 400 acre area was first established as a reserve
in 1963 and establed as a national reserve in 1992.
There are restrictions on entering the reserve but
it is still possible to birdwatch from locations
around the reserve.
Wonderful spot for bird watching
- Aukuu (Black-crowned Night-Herons)
- Aeo (Hawaiian Black-necked Stilts)
- Alae keokeo (Hawaiian Coots).
The Kealia Pond is usually very full of water
during the winter but it is usually
much smaller in summer, therefore there are
more birds here during the winter then during
the summer.
The Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge was established
on the south coast of Maui in 1992 to provide a protected
home for more then 30 species of shorebirds, migratory ducks,
and Hawaii's native water birds. The refuge is 700 acres in
size and when the pond is full it covers 250 of those acres.
Kealia Beach, a nesting ground for the hawksbill turtle,
is locate next to Kealia Pond.
Nature Trail Through the Refuge
A 2200-foot pedestrian boardwalk installed in 2005,
at a cost of $2 Million, was never opened to the public
because the recycled plastic materials used for
the deck and handrails started cracking soon after
it was installed. In September of 2006 the boardwalk repairs
began. The deteriorating plastic boards and rails are being
replaced with a new kind of plastic and wood composite material made by the
Trex Company from recycled grocery bags. The repair project
will cost approximately $600,000 and it is expected to be completed
sometime in 2007.
Refuge Location
Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge is located
in the Maalaea Flats on North Kihei Road, on the southeast
coast of Maui.
Articles
Recreation Dot Gov Kealia Pond NWR Article
News About the Kealia Pond Wildlife Refuge
2006 Sep 25:
Kealia Boardwalk Repairs Start
2005 Nov 18:
Cracks Show in Kealia Project
2004 Feb 10:
Effort to Cut Midge Population
Refuge Contact Information
Maui National Wildlife Refuge Complex
101 North Kihei Road, P.O. Box 1042
Kihei, Hawai`i 96753
Phone: 808-875-1582 \ Fax: 808-875-2945
See also:
Eco Tours on Maui
Other Attractions on Maui
Activities on Maui
|
Related Links
Maui Island - Main Menu
Islands of Hawaii
Hawaii for Visitors
|
|
|
