The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is closing the east entrance to Uēkahuna parking lot and a short section of Crater Rim Trail to protect a pair of nesting nēnē.

“Safeguarding native wildlife is part of our mission at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park,” said the park’s wildlife biologist, Dr. Kristina Paxton, in a news release. “Nēnē are very vulnerable to being killed by vehicles, and this partial closure improves their chances for survival.”

Nēnē geese are endemic to Hawaii and considered endangered. The birds were basically wiped out in the wild by the 1950s, but captive breeding programs helped recover the population. Nēnē usually mate for life. The female nēnē incubates two to five eggs while the male nēnē guards the family. Nēnē usually incubate their eggs for about a month, and re-nesting may occur if eggs are destroyed or abandoned.

At the Uēkahuna parking lot, no parking stalls are closed, and the west entrance remains open as both an entrance and exit. However, buses (25 feet or more) will not be able to access the parking lot because there is no longer room to turn around.

The temporary closure also includes a section of Crater Rim Trail east of the parking lot.