Maui Visitor Attractions
Visit Kealia Pond National Wildlife Preserve Near Kihei
June 20, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Maui is home to an amazingly diverse array of wildlife and plant life. Much of this is on display at the Kealia Pond National Wildlife Preserve.
Located near to the small southern Maui tourist and each area of Kihei, the Kealia Pond National Wildlife Preserve is a 700-acre U.S. Fish and Wildlife wetland preserve. It is home to endangered Hawaiian coots, Hawaiian ducks and Hawaiian stilts all of which are distinct species that only exist in the Hawaiian Islands.
While the pond does serve as a safe refuge for these birds and other animals, it also offers protection to the coral reefs that surround Maui.
The ponds naturally clean water before it reaches the reefs.
This protects the fragile coral from dirt and silt that could damage it.
Tourists can take themsevles on a self-guided tour through the Kealia Pond National Wildlife Preserve. They need only follow the easy-to-see signs dotting the wooden boardwalks and shade shelters snaking through the pond.
It’s certainly not the biggest attraction in Hawaii, but the wildlife preserve is certainly worth a visit.
Other birds that sharp-eyed tourists can spot here include the black-crowned high heron, Pacific golden plover, ruddy turnstone and wandering tattler.
What you see will depend on at what time of year you visit, but the winter months are likely to be busier as migratory birds also arrive from far off places.
How they actually find their way to Maui in the middle of the Pacific Ocean is incredible.
Whenever you visit bring binoculars if you have them to get much better close-up views of the birds.
From July to December, the pond is home to another amazing sight: This the time of year when the hawksbill turtle comes ashore to lay her eggs. And the turtles lay these eggs at the wildlife preserve.
This spectacle is not witnessed very often anymore as sadly these turtles are declining in number. So if you do see one then stand back quietly and do disturb the turtle.
Enjoy and protect Maui’s wildlife!
