HILO, Hawaii — The Department of Land and Natural Resources recognized the actions of a Hawaii Island family to rescue a nene gosling with a DLNR & You Citizen Conservationist Award on Thursday.
On March 23, Lilinoe and Lester Kahalepauole-Bustamonte, their three teenagers and toddler witnessed a woman — later identified as Meiqin Chen, 57, of Hilo — snatch a nene gosling from Wailoa River State Recreation Area, put it in an onion bag and drive away with it in her car.
The teens helped a DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife biologist capture one of the nene parents as their parents followed the woman, providing location updates to the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement and Hawaii Police Department.
Officers from the Hawaii Police Department and DOCARE apprehended Chen. The gosling was reunited with its parents and all were taken to the Hilo Nene Sanctuary on the lower slopes of Maunakea where they have been kept in isolation for the last two weeks.
“It happens in the wild, where a baby or mate gets taken, and sometimes they go through a mourning process, but other times they’re thinking about their own survival,” explained DOFAW Wildlife Biologist Raymond McGuire in a news release. “Putting them back together re-establishes the familial bond.”
On Thursday, mother Lilinoe and toddler Piha opened the gate to the nene family’s holding pen that would release them into their new sanctuary home. DOFAW Hawaii Island Branch Manager Steve Bergfeld recounted their actions and thanked them for going above and beyond, and presented them with the award.
“It’s presented to those community members who go above and beyond to help DLNR and our mission to protect and conserve all of Hawaii’s natural and cultural resources,” said DLNR First Chair Laura Kaakua. “In this instance, you folks, the Kahalepauole-Bustamonte ohana, did go above and beyond for your community, for our community of nene, for all of our native species. All of you and your entire family played a critical role and thank goodness there was that partnership between community and our Division of Forestry and Wildlife and our very dedicated DOCARE officers, as well as the county.”
Lilinoe Kahalepauola-Bustamonte said, “It was just a privilege. Honestly, it was just right timing and right place for us to be there. We’re grateful for the opportunity, even though we didn’t know we had that at hand. We’re grateful that you guys allowed us to come full circle and see our baby nene be released.”
Chen’s initial court date is scheduled for May 19 in Hilo District Court where she will face various citations.
Sarah Yamanaka covers events, environmental and community news for Spectrum News Hawaii. She can be reached at sarah.yamanaka@charter.com.