Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge

Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge
Coordinates: 22 ° 13'53 "  N , 159 ° 24'7"  W.
Location:	Hawaii , United States
Next city:	Kīlauea
Surface:	0.8 km²
Founding:	1985
Visitors:	500,000 (2014)

Daniel K. Inouye Kilauea Point Lighthouse

Mokuʻaeʻae Island

The Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge is an approximately 84 hectare nature reserve at the northernmost point of the island of Kauaʻi in the state of Hawaii in the United States . The sanctuary around the lighthouse , the Daniel K. Inouye Kīlauea Point Lighthouse ( ⊙ ), is home to a large population of nesting seabirds .

history

After the lighthouse was deactivated in 1976, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service made an agreement with the United States Coast Guard to use the site for the administration of the previously existing protected areas. The Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge was established after the site was completely handed over in 1985 to protect the breeding colonies of seabirds at the cape of the same name . The area comprised the part that is now accessible to visitors, around 12 hectares around Kīlauea Point ( ⊙ ). In 1988 the reserve was expanded to include the areas of Crater Hill ( ⊙ ) and Mōkōlea Point ( ⊙ ). Mōkōlea Point with around 15 hectares was purchased, the approximately 37 hectares of the Crater Hill area were donated by the then Pali Moana Corporation, now the Seacliff Plantation. In 1997 and 1998 there were further smaller land purchases. The visitor center was built in 1988, the path to the lighthouse was paved in 2001. In 2004, Congress approved an extension of the protected area by around 95 hectares. This is an area that adjoins Mōkōlea Point in the southeast and extends along the Kīlauea Stream ( ⊙ ) and Kīlauea Bay ( ⊙ ) to the local limit of Kīlauea ( ⊙ ). Although the area of ​​the protected area has been around 82 hectares since 2007, no land has yet been acquired within the additional expansion.

History of the lighthouse

Between 1912 and 1913, the lighthouse was built as Kīlauea Point Lighthouse to secure the shipping route between the Asian continent and Hawaii. It went into operation on May 1, 1913. On June 29, 1927, it served as an important landmark for the crew of the Bird of Paradise aircraft on the first transpacific flight from California to Hawaii . After the crew of the aircraft overshot their target Oʻahu due to poor visibility , they saw the characteristic double flash of the beacon . This enabled them to navigate and safely land on Wheeler Field on Oahu. Based on this experience, a radio beacon was added in 1930 . In 1974 the lighthouse was automated. The lighthouse, then known as the US Coast Guard Light Station Kilauea Point, was deactivated in February 1976. On October 18, 1979, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places . The lighthouse was extensively restored between 2010 and 2013. In honor of the senator who campaigned for the restoration and raised the funds, the lighthouse was renamed the Daniel K. Inouye Kīlauea Point Lighthouse on May 4, 2013.

geography

North of the village of Kīlauea, the reserve extends over around 82 hectares along the coast between the northernmost point of the island, Kīlauea Point, and Mōkōlea Point with the area in between Crater Hill. The part around the lighthouse that is accessible to visitors covers around 12 hectares. The island of Mokuʻaeʻae ( ⊙ ) off Kīlauea Point is not part of the protected area, but is under the administration of the Division of Forestry and Wildlife of the State of Hawaii. The Makapili Rock ( ⊙ ), which juts out of the sea between the two large capes, is also not part of the reserve .

geology

The cape protrudes over 55 meters from the sea and is connected to the rest of the island of Kaua'i by a narrow connection. It is part of the Kīlauea volcanic area, which last erupted around 500,000 years ago. The Kīlauea Point and Mōkōlea Point are remnants of the crater, the current highest point of which, Crater Hill, is around 172 meters above sea level. The coast has a gradient of up to 70 percent and drops steeply up to 60 meters. The soils of Kīlauea Point and Crater Hill consist of granodiorite weathering clay, while Mōkōlea Point, Makapili Rock and the cliffs of Kīlauea Point are made of basalt and andesite rock.

Flora and fauna

Due to the isolated location, numerous rare species of flora and fauna can be found on the islands of Hawaii. Some of the endemic bird species include:

Illustration	Name (scientific)	Name (hawaiian)	Name (german)
	Branta sandvicensis	Nēnē	Hawaiigans
	Asio flammeus sandwichensis	Pueo	Hawaiian Short-eared Owl
	Phoebastria immutabilis	Molli	Laysanalbatros
	Phoebastria nigripes	Ka'upu	Black-footed albatross
	Phaethon lepturus	Koa'e kea	White-tailed tropical bird
	Phaethon rubricauda	Koa'e 'ula	Red-tailed tropical bird
	Sula sula	'Ā	Red-footed booby
	Sula leucogaster	'Ā	White-bellied boobies
	Fregata minor	'Iwa	Great frigate bird
	Puffinus pacificus	'Ua'u kani	Keilschwanz- Shearwater
	Puffinus auricularis newelli	'A'o	Newell Shearwater
	Pluvialis fulva	Kolea	Siberian golden plover
	Arenaria interpres	'Akekeke	Turnstone
	Tringa incana	'Ulili	Wandering water strider
	Calidris alba	Hunakai	Sanderling
	Numenius tahitiensis	Kioea	Bristle curlew

From November through April, whales migrate from Alaska to Hawaii for mating and giving birth . The following, partly endemic, mammals and reptiles can be observed off and on the coast of the protected area:

Illustration	Name (scientific)	Name (hawaiian)	Name (german)
	Megaptera novaeangliae	Koholā	Humpback whale
	Stenella longirostris longirostris	Nai'a	East Pacific Dolphin
	Monachus schauinslandi	'īlio-holo-ikauaua	Hawaiian monk seal
	Chelonia mydas	Honu	Green turtle
	Lasiurus cinereus	'ōpe'ape'a	Ice gray bat

Numerous plant species, some endemic, can be found along the coast, including:

Illustration	Name (scientific)	Name (hawaiian)	Name (german)
	Chenopodium oahuense	`āheahea, ahea,` āhewahew a, alaweo, `āweoweo, kāha`iha`i
	Lipochaeta succulenta	Nehe
	Metrosideros polymorpha	'ōhi'a lehua
	Vitex rotundifolia	Kolokolo kahakai
	Pandanus tectorius	Hala, Pū hala
	Ipomoea pes-caprae	Hala, Pū hala	Goat's foot morning glory
	Sida fallax	ʻIlima
	Chamaesyce celastroides	`Acoco

Transport links

The sanctuary is connected to Highway 56 (Kūhiō Highway) via Kolo Road and Kīlauea Road. The road leads directly to the entrance gate of the reserve. There is a parking lot with 26 parking spaces at a vantage point over the protected area. After the paid passage, the street ends at another parking lot with space for 66 vehicles.

Tourism and leisure

Daniel K. Inouye Kīlauea Point Lighthouse

The Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge is one of the most popular excursion destinations on Kaua'i with up to 500,000 visitors annually. In 2013, 201,571 paying visitors were counted. It ranks fourth out of 560 protected areas in the United States. Due to falling funding allocations, the opening of the protected area has been reduced to five days a week, which means it remains closed on Sundays and Mondays. There are no camping opportunities.

activities

The approximately 300 meter long walk from the parking lot around the lighthouse offers numerous views of the coastline and the Pacific Ocean with its unique flora and fauna. The nature of the protected area is explained in more detail in the visitor center with attached bookstore.

Daniel K. Inouye Kīlauea Point Lighthouse

The over 17 meter high, round, conical lighthouse is made of reinforced concrete . A cast iron staircase connects the four floors. The original Fresnel lens from 1912 is still in place, with a prism damaged during Hurricane Iniki in 1992. Next to it is the building from which the radio signals were sent. However, it is not the building from 1929, but a new building from 1956. The oil house and the guards' buildings that are not on the cape have been preserved and used by the management of the protected area. On Wednesdays and Saturdays there is the possibility to climb the lighthouse as part of a guided tour.

Web links

Commons : Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Kilauea_Point/ - Homepage on the website of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (English) - last accessed on February 15, 2015

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Feature Detail Report for: Kilauea Lighthouse (GNIS-ID: 1925060). In: Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). United States Geological Survey (USGS), accessed February 15, 2015 . 
2. ↑ Feature Detail Report for: Kīlauea Point (GNIS-ID: 361221). In: Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). United States Geological Survey (USGS), accessed February 15, 2015 . 
3. ↑ Feature Detail Report for: Crater Hill (GNIS-ID: 358742). In: Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). United States Geological Survey (USGS), accessed February 15, 2015 . 
4. ↑ Feature Detail Report for: Mōkōlea Point (GNIS-ID: 362401). In: Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). United States Geological Survey (USGS), accessed February 15, 2015 . 
5. ↑ Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan. (PDF; 11.16 MB) United States Fish & Wildlife Service, January 1, 2015, pp. 1-11 / 1-12 , accessed on February 15, 2015 . 
6. ↑ National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) - Nomination Form: Kilauea Point Lighthouse. (PDF; 2.2 MB) United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service, April 26, 1978, p. 54 , accessed on February 14, 2015 (English, supplemented April 12, 2006). 
7. ↑ Feature Detail Report for: Kīlauea Stream (GNIS-ID: 358388). In: Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). United States Geological Survey (USGS), accessed February 15, 2015 . 
8. ↑ Feature Detail Report for: Kīlauea Bay (GNIS-ID: 361215). In: Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). United States Geological Survey (USGS), accessed February 15, 2015 . 
9. ↑ Feature Detail Report for: Kīlauea (GNIS-ID: 361214). In: Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). United States Geological Survey (USGS), accessed February 15, 2015 . 
10. ↑ Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan. (PDF; 11.16 MB) United States Fish & Wildlife Service, January 1, 2015, pp. 1-11 / 1-12 , accessed on February 15, 2015 . 
11. ↑ National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) - Nomination Form: Kilauea Point Lighthouse. (PDF; 2.2 MB) United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service, April 26, 1978, p. 54 , accessed on February 14, 2015 (English, supplemented April 12, 2006). 
12. ^ Lighthouse Restoration Project. (No longer available online.) Kīlauea Point Natural History Association, Aug. 8, 2013, archived from the original on July 19, 2006 ; accessed on February 14, 2015 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
13. ↑ Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan. (PDF; 11.16 MB) United States Fish & Wildlife Service, January 1, 2015, pp. 5-5 , accessed on February 15, 2015 . 
14. ↑ Feature Detail Report for: Moku'ae'ae (GNIS ID: 362419). In: Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). United States Geological Survey (USGS), accessed February 15, 2015 . 
15. ↑ Feature Detail Report for: Makapili Rock (GNIS-ID: 362080). In: Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). United States Geological Survey (USGS), accessed February 15, 2015 . 
16. ↑ Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan. (PDF; 11.16 MB) United States Fish & Wildlife Service, January 1, 2015, pp. 1-5 to 1-13 , accessed on February 15, 2015 (English). 
17. ↑ National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) - Nomination Form: Kilauea Point Lighthouse. (PDF; 2.2 MB) United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service, April 26, 1978, p. 54 , accessed on February 14, 2015 (English, supplemented April 12, 2006). 
18. ↑ Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan. (PDF; 11.16 MB) United States Fish & Wildlife Service, January 1, 2015, pp. 3-10 and 3-11 , accessed on February 15, 2015 . 
19. ↑ Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan. (PDF; 11.16 MB) United States Fish & Wildlife Service, January 1, 2015, pp. J-1 to J-12 , accessed on February 15, 2015 . 
20. ↑ Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge - Plan your visit. US Fish & Wildlife Service, August 11, 2014, accessed February 15, 2015 . 
21. ↑ Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan. (PDF; 11.16 MB) United States Fish & Wildlife Service, January 1, 2015, pp. 5-11 and 5-12 , accessed on February 15, 2015 . 
22. ↑ Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan. (PDF; 11.16 MB) United States Fish & Wildlife Service, January 1, 2015, pp. 5-11 to 5-13 , accessed on February 15, 2015 . 
23. ↑ Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge - Plan your visit. US Fish & Wildlife Service, August 11, 2014, accessed February 15, 2015 . 
24. ↑ National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) - Nomination Form: Kilauea Point Lighthouse. (PDF; 2.2 MB) United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service, April 26, 1978, pp. 11-15 , accessed on February 15, 2015 (English, supplemented April 12, 2006). 
25. ↑ Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge - Daniel K. Inouye Kīlauea Point Lighthouse. US Fish & Wildlife Service, January 6, 2020, accessed January 6, 2020 .