Ne'ele was with her friend, Pua.

"Aloha," said Pono.

"Where are you going?" Ne'ele asked. She was a very nosy goose. Ne'ele means nosy in Hawaiian.

"I'm going to find my friends and my smile," said Pono. "Where are you going?"

"We are looking for berries to eat. We live in the open lowlands below the forest."

"Why are you smiling?" Pono asked.

"We're smiling because we're famous." Ne'ele said. "The Nene Goose is the state bird of Hawai'i. Everyone knows about us."

"Wow," said Pono, "that is famous." He started to smile.

Then, Ne'ele frowned. So did Pono.

"Even though people know about us, we are still endangered. Once, our wild population was so low, there were only about 30 birds left on the lava fields on the Big Island."

"Why are you so endangered?" Pono asked.

"We make our nest on the ground," Ne'ele said. "The rats, cats, and mongoose steal our eggs and eat them."

"That is sad," Pono said. He didn't want to smile anymore.

"Don't worry," Ne'ele said. "Now that people are taking care of us, we are increasing in numbers. Soon, we won't be endangered."

"I'm glad," said Pono. "Aloha."

Pono kept walking. He came to a stream. The water was cool and clear. Then, he saw someone in the water.

The second friend Pono met was . . .

 

Piko, the O'opu

Jake, the Jackson's Chameleon