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Kanaha Pond State Wildlife Sanctuary
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PHOTOS |
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Click on a thumbnail to
see a larger version of the photo |
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OVERVIEW |
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Kanaha Pond Waterbird Sanctuary is located on Maui's north shore
between the harbor and the airport in the shadow of the West
Maui Mountains and Mount Haleakala. The pond is home to two
endangered species - the Hawaiian Stilt and the Hawaiian
Coot, as well as providing sanctuary to many migrant
shorebirds and waterfowl.
Most of the large ponds in the Hawaiian Islands have been
degraded or filled for development. Due to the continued
destruction of many of Hawai'i's wetland areas Kanaha Pond
was designated a registered natural landmark in late 1971 by
the Department of the Interior, one of only two such sites
registered at the time.
Kanaha pond is historically significant. In the early 1700's
Kapiiohookalani, King of Maui, ordered the construction of
twin fish ponds, one of them is the present-day Kanaha Pond.
Stones of the walls of the ponds were passed from hand to
hand for half a mile by a long line of workmen, many
imported from Moloka'i, according to legend. The ponds were
used for storing and fattening fish, because Hawaiian custom
prohibited catching or eating fish from the sea during the
yearly three-to-five month breeding season. It was
permissible, however, to eat fish taken from freshwater
ponds.
In the early 1800's King Kamehameha named the ponds Mauoni
and Kanaha after the son and daughter
of Kapiiohookalani. Until the early 1900's the ponds
produced huge quantities of mullet. The water was clean, and
natural springs filled the ponds and continuously overflowed
through an open ditch in Kahului Harbor. The harbor was
dredged in about 1910, however, and Mauoni pond was filled
and is now occupied by oil storage tanks and industrial
areas. When Mauoni was filled, part of the overflow ditch
was also filled and this resulted in Kanaha Pond becoming
less clear and during hot summers part of the pond would dry
up and release offensive odors.
Over time, as the pond's use as a fish pond decreased and
the importance of the site as a refuge for birds became
clear. Since the turn of the twentieth century the pond has
functioned primarily as a waterfowl and shorebird sanctuary.
Before the Second World War, Kanaha Pond was owned by the
Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company. During the War, the
HC & S donated the land, which included Kanaha Pond, to the
U.S. Navy. In 1951 the Hawaiian government formally
designated the pond as a bird refuge.
In 1959 the state legislature appropriated $15,000 to
improve the area and the Maui County government appointed a
Citizens Advisory Committee. More funding was obtained, and
in 1961 the state legislature made long-term plans which
included bird-feeding stations, observation areas and a
picnic area, as well as an experimental dredging to try to
eliminate the offensive odor, which manifested itself
during the summer months. |
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DIRECTIONS |
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Located
near the Kahului Airport, the pond can be
accessed off Amala Road that fronts the
ocean near Kahului Harbor. A small parking
lot is located by the entrance gate to the
sanctuary. |
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