When it rains, the stream will flow into Kealia’s main pond and then into the outlet area that’s now pink. This will reduce the salinity and potentially change the water’s colour.
“That might be what makes it go away,” Wolfe said.
No one at the refuge has seen the pond this colour before — not even volunteers who have been around it for 70 years. The pond has been through periods of drought and high salinity before, though, and Wolfe isn’t sure why the colour has changed now.
Curious visitors have flocked to the park after photos of the pink pond appeared on social media.
“We prefer that they come to hear about our mission conserving native and endangered waterbirds and our wetland restorations. But no, they’re here to see the pink water,” Wolfe joked.
He understands everyone’s fascination.
“If that’s what gets them there, it’s OK,” he said. “It is neat.”
The wildlife refuge is a wetland that provides nesting, feeding and resting habitat to the endangered Hawaiian stilt, known as aeo, and the Hawaiian coot or alae keokeo. It also hosts migratory birds during the winter.
The water doesn’t appear to be harming the birds, Wolfe said.
As a wildlife refuge, people aren’t supposed to wade into the pond or let their pets in the water regardless of its colour. But officials are taking an extra precaution to warn people not to enter the water or eat any fish caught there because the source of the colour has yet to be identified.
Source: CNA
