Hawaiian Goose - Hawaii


An accurate measurement of a mountain’s height is obtained by measuring the distance from base to summit. Mount Everest, at 8,850 meters, is often cited as the tallest mountain in the world, but Hawaii’s Mauna Kea, measuring 10,100 meters from base to summit, is taller than Mount Everest by over 1,000 meters.

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Branta sandvicensis - The Hawaiian goose or nēnē, as it is known locally, is a medium sized goose standing 40 centimeters in height and weighing between 1.5 to 3 kilos; males are heavier than females. It is closely related to the Canada goose. The Hawaiian goose has short wings unable to support extended flights. When the goose first arrived on the Hawaiian Islands, 500,000 years ago, it faced no predators and had no need to migrate, a situation contributing to the evolutionary change in its diminished ability to fly.