---
title: "Introducing the first Newell’s Shearwater chick to hatch within the Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge on the Hawaiian island of Kauai"
---

# Introducing the first Newell’s Shearwater chick to hatch within the Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge on the Hawaiian island of Kauai

 ![Nihoku Newells Shearwtater PRC 1](https://acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Shearwaters/Shearwaters/Nihoku_Newells_Shearwtater_PRC_1.jpg)  
*T**he first ever Newell’s Shearwater chick to hatch within the Nihoku exclosure*

 The [Nihoku Ecosystem Restoration Project](https://www.nihoku.org/) aims to create a new breeding site safe from introduced predators for two threatened seabirds on the Hawaiian island on Kauai.  The construction of a predator-fence within the [Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge](https://acap.aq/latest-news/acap-breeding-site-no-63-kilauea-point-national-wildlife-refuge-home-of-a-laysan-albatross-population) allowed for the translocation and hand-feeding to fledging of chicks of the [Endangered](https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/hawaiian-petrel-pterodroma-sandwichensis) Hawaiian Petrel *Pterodroma sandwichensis* and [Critically Endangered](https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/newells-shearwater-puffinus-newelli) Newell’s Shearwater *Puffinus newelli*.  Breeding by the former species [has already taken place](https://acap.aq/latest-news/relocated-hawaiian-petrels-commence-breeding-at-nihoku-on-kauai-behind-a-predator-proof-fence?highlight=WyJoYXdhaWlhbiIsInBldHJlbCIsInBldHJlbHMiLCJwZXRyZWxlcyIsInBldHJlbCdzIiwicGV0cmVsJyIsInBldHJlbHMnIiwibmlob2t1Il0=).  Now the shearwater has followed by breeding within the fence as announced by the environmental NGO, [Pacific Rim Conservation](https://pacificrimconservation.org/).

 “Allow us to introduce to you, the first ever Newell’s shearwater chick to hatch within the Nihoku exclosure at Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge!  This chick is the offspring of a male that was translocated as a chick in 2018, and an unbanded, socially attracted female.  This chick represents a major milestone for the Nihoku Ecosystem Restoration Project and we couldn’t be more proud!”

 *![Nihoku Newells Shearwtater PRC 2](https://acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Shearwaters/Shearwaters/Nihoku_Newells_Shearwtater_PRC_2.jpg)  
T**he first ever Newell’s Shearwater chick to hatch within the Nihoku exclosure*

 To learn more about Nihoku, visit [www.nihoku.org](http://www.nihoku.org/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3FT_-eh_U8oYvOxCOoK8xpQzxlzTzGL_r-OlAVw1IqyEJMgvs83GujH-M_aem_mFqbWPdmlMgSqf_pjq2CLA) and check out previous postings to *ACAP Latest News* on the project [here](https://acap.aq/search?q=Nihoku&Search=&w1=before&d1=&w2=before&d2=).  Information and photographs from the [Facebook page](https://www.facebook.com/prconservation) of the Pacific Rim Conservation

 **Reference:**

 Young, L.C., Kohley, C.R., VanderWerf, E.A., Fowlke, L., Casillas, D., Dalton, M., Knight, M., Pesque, A.,  Dittmar, E.M., Raine, A,F. & Vynne, M. 2023. Successful translocation of Newell’s Shearwaters and Hawaiian Petrels to create a new, predator free breeding colony. [*Frontiers in Conservation Science* 4. doi.org/10.3389/fcosc.2023.1177789](https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcosc.2023.1177789/full).

 *Jo**hn Cooper,**Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels**,**13 August 2024*