Kanahā Pond State Wildlife Sanctuary

Kanahā Pond State Wildlife Sanctuary is a 208-acre brackish wetland in Kahului on Maui, one of only two major wetland habitats on the island and one of its few remaining brackish-water ecosystems. Originating in royal fishponds built in the 1700s by Kapiʻiohookalani, it long served as an important food source. Harbor construction, military use during World War II, and later drainage projects heavily altered the site, reducing its natural function. Even so, it became Hawaiʻi’s first wildlife sanctuary in 1951 and a National Natural Landmark in 1971. Today it remains a vital refuge for native and migratory birds, including endangered Hawaiian waterbirds, with added protection through a predator-exclusion fence begun in 2024.

Kahului, Hawaii · United States