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Slimbridge Wetland Centre welcomes rare nēnē goslings

WWT nēnē gosling and its parentWWT
The Living Collections Supervisor at the centre said: "I know how loved they are by our staff and visitors"

One of the world's rarest type of goslings have hatched at a wetland centre.

Slimbridge Wetland Centre in Gloucestershire announced the arrival of nēnē goslings, a species of goose from Hawaii.

It is the second time the centre has successfully bred the species,

Jonathan Newton, the Living Collections Supervisor, said: "These nēnē families will help inspire future generations about the importance of conservation."

In May 2021, the centre opened its immersive "Mission Possible" exhibit, which recreates the geese's native Hawaiian habitat.

The breed was close to extinction in the 1950s because of the introduction of predators and the loss of habitat.

WWT/Malcolm Marner nēnē goslings and their parentWWT/Malcolm Marner
The Hawaiian goose is fondly known in Hawaii as ‘nēnē’ for their ‘nay-nay’ murmur

In an attempt to save the species, three nēnēs were sent to Slimbridge for breeding by the ornithologist and conservationist, Sir Peter Scott.

He and his aviculture team pioneered the first captive breeding project for nēnēs at the centre.

Visitors to the exhibit can learn about Sir Peter Scott's successful effort to rescue the species from the brink of extinction.

Although there are now more than 3,000 nēnēs in the world, their population remains vulnerable and stills relies on the regular release of birds bred in captivity.

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