The nēnē, or Hawaiian Goose, is specially adapted to these tropical islands.

Volcanics, no solar eclipse, and wildfires no doubt all played a role in the decline of visitation to the National Park System in 2018, when slightly more than 318 million visits were recorded, a drop of 13 million from the year before.

A coyote that got a taste for human food from garbage strewn about Death Valley National Park during the partial government shutdown had to be put down by rangers after it repeatedly stopped traffic, while other coyotes and and two bobcats were seen approaching visitors in the park. Human visitors left other waste behind: an estimated half-ton of human waste on the landscape.

If you're planning a visit to Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park in December, there are a number of free guided hikes and programs in the Kahuku Unit that you can take advantage of. Visitors can also explore Kahuku on their own, Wednesdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.