Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, Wildlife refuge with lighthouse on northern coast in Kauai County, United States.
Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge covers about 82 hectares on a lava peninsula on Kauaʻi's north coast, with the 1913 Daniel K. Inouye Kīlauea Point Lighthouse on a headland rising over 55 metres from the sea. The visitor area around the lighthouse is about 12 hectares; Crater Hill and Mōkōlea Point were added in 1988. A 300-metre footpath circles the lighthouse, and the visitor centre opened in 1988.
A lighthouse from 1913 was built to guide ships across the Pacific but eventually ceased operation. The structure and surrounding lands then transformed into a place for wildlife protection and coastal nature experience.
The Hawaiian name of the red-footed booby, ʻā, is the one visitors hear most: these birds nest in trees and shrubs and cover their eggs with their large webbed feet. The ʻiwa, or great frigatebird, takes its name from the Hawaiian word for "thief" because it snatches food from other birds. Courting wedge-tailed shearwaters make moaning calls at night that gave them the name ʻuaʻuʻkani.
No reservations are needed; entry is paid at the gate, and the refuge closes Sundays and Mondays. A paved 300-metre walk leads from the parking area around the lighthouse, with coastal views along the way. The visitor centre and bookshop explain the refuge's birds and plants.
Specialized fences protect nesting birds from predators like rats and mongooses that were brought to the island. This simple system allows endangered species to survive where they would otherwise disappear.
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