Yesterday morning, 57-year-old Meiqin Chen of Hilo was cited by the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) after removing a nēnē gosling from Wailoa River State Recreation Area.
Multiple witnesses reported Chen to the DLNR and HPD stating that she put the gosling in her vehicle and drove away. Witnesses were also able to provide a vehicle description and license plate number to authorities.
HPD located the vehicle in Keaʻau. During a traffic stop, an officer saw the gosling in an onion bag located in a bucket in the rear of the vehicle. DOCARE arrived on scene with a DOFAW biologist, confirming it was a nēnē gosling.
Chen was cited for:
- §183D-62 – Taking, injuring, or destroying wild birds prohibited.
- §13-124-11 (a)1 – With respect to endangered and threatened species of wildlife; take, possess, process, sell, offer for sale, or transport any such species, any young or egg, or the dead body or skin thereof within the State.
- § 13-146-41 No person shall trap, take, catch, possess, any wild bird or mammal, or disturb their habitat.
Chen is scheduled to make her initial appearance in Hilo District Court on May 19, 2023.
DLNR Photo
