Kilauea Wildlife Refuge Reopens Gates

By Léo Azambuja

Left to right, Kīlauea Point NWR Environmental Education Park Ranger Christa McLeod, Visitor Services Manager Jennifer Waipa, Kupu AmeriCorps Service Member Ben Buescher, and Park Ranger Jacqueline Olivera. Photo by Léo Azambuja

Most, if not all, Laysan albatross chicks have already fledged Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge by the end of July. In three-to-five years, they’ll be back to try mating for the first time, and then return every year during mating season from November to July.

But you don’t have to wait that long to visit this unspoiled wildlife refuge. In July, they reopened the facilities that had been closed since March because of COVID-19 restrictions.

“This is a great time to visit the refuge, as the lower numbers of visitors allow for a more intimate experience of Kīlauea Point NWR, the wildlife and scenic vistas,” said Jennifer Waipa, Visitor Services Manager at Kīlauea Point NWR.

Usually, she said, the refuge averages roughly half a million visitors each year, counting the overlook at the end of Kīlauea Road and parts of the refuge surrounding the historic lightstation. But 2020 is anything but a normal year.

“We expect reduced visitation this year and possibly on into next year,” Waipa said.

The refuge’s historic buildings — the visitor center, the contact station and the lighthouse — are still closed to the public, but you still have the breathtaking 180-degree views from atop a 586-foot ocean bluff formed from a portion of the former Kilauea volcanic vent, plus the experience of seeing an abundant variety of species of seabirds thriving in their natural habitat.

Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Léo Azambuja

Thousands of migratory and resident birds make the refuge their home. These birds include the Laysan albatross (mōlī), red-footed and brown boobies (ʻa), red- and white-tailed tropicbirds (koaʻe ʻula  and koaʻe kea), great frigatebirds (ʻiwa), wedge-tailed shearwaters (uaʻu kani), Pacific golden plover (kōlea), threatened Hawaiian goose (nēnē) and Newell’s shearwaters (‘a‘o), endangered Hawaiian petrel (ʻuaʻu), and Hawaiian short-eared owl (pueo).

Waipa said a pair of Kermadec petrels, a rare sight within Hawaiʻi, have also been frequenting the refuge seasonally in the spring through fall for the last several years and there’s a possibility they may be breeding on the refuge. In the last few years, there were also confirmed sightings of Bulwerʻs petrels (‘ou), osprey and cackling geese.

Kīlauea Point NWR, on the northernmost point of all the Main Hawaiian Islands, is also home to the Daniel K. Inouye Kīlauea Point Lighthouse. The building has a rare, intact Fresnel lens, is a part of the Kīlauea Point Lightstation listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been part of a rich history since it was built in 1913.

A koa‘e, or red-tailed tropicbird, is seen here flying to right of Kīlauea Point. Photo by Léo Azambuja

The land of the refuge covers 199 acres, which includes Wowoni (Kīlauea Point), Nihoku (Crater Hill) and Mōkōlea Point. Established in 1985, it is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect and recover migratory seabirds and threatened and endangered species; facilitate fish and wildlife-oriented recreational opportunities and the overall protection of natural resources; and conserve native coastal strand, riparian, and aquatic biological diversity. Hanalei on the North Shore and Hulēʻia in Nāwiliwili, established in 1972 and 1973 respectively, are the two other refuges within the Kaua‘i National Wildlife Refuge Complex.

As Waipa walks through the refuge’s grounds in Kilauea, she glows in excitement while showing several species of native Hawaiian plants cultivated throughout the property. Those plants are grown in an on-site nursery as an effort to eliminate invasive species and restore the original flora of the refuge.

Some of these marine animals can be spotted on waters surrounding Kīlauea Point NWR on a clear day. Photo by Léo Azambuja

Just beyond the refuge, on the ocean, a portion of NOAA’s Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary extending from Kīlauea to Hāʻena offers humpback whale watching from November to May, peaking during January, February and March. You may also spot threatened green sea turtles and endangered Hawaiian monk seals swimming in the crystal turquoise-blue waters below.

Waipa said visiting the refuge is always an educational experience.

“There are also opportunities to join in on local beach cleanups, Weed’n Feeds, National Wildlife Refuge Week and Lighthouse Day special events, and Junior Ranger reading events held at local partner locations,” she said. “We were proud to provide unique educational opportunities for over 8,000 local students in 2019, and are now also beginning to provide more virtual education opportunities for those who may not be able to visit in-person in the near future.”

Many nēnē geese come to rest at Kīlauea Point every evening. Photo by Léo Azambuja

Parts of Kīlauea Point NWR, including enclosed indoor and historic landmarks had been closed to the public to comply with government COVID-19 guidelines (Kāhili Beach, or Rock Quarry Beach, was always open). On July 9, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reinstated public visitation to the outdoor areas surrounding the Kīlauea Point Lightstation within the main entry gate. Visitors can get access through an online reservation system implemented to provide safety to local residents and visitors, while following local, state and Centers for Disease Control guidelines. Space and parking are limited.

Kīlauea Point NWR is open Thursday to Saturday (except for federal holidays) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Entry is $10 per adult, with a $1 fee per reservation. Children 15 and under are free. The refuge honors Kamaʻāina, Duck Stamp and America The Beautiful passes at the main gate with advance reservation.

Visit recreation.gov to access the timed entry reservation system.