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Kuaihelani (Midway) Friends!
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The Friends of Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge releases “new” fall newsletter.
The Friends of Midway Atoll and the Friends of Hawaiian Islands support the National Wildlife Refuges within the PapahÄnaumokuÄkea Marine National Monument, a World Heritage Site encompassing 583,000 square miles of ocean water including islands and atolls of the Northwestern Islands.
Snapshots of the human history of Kuaihelani (Midway Atoll)
Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge / Battle of Midway National Memorial is part of the much larger ecosystem immersed in an extraordinary cultural sea and landscape within PapahÄnaumokuÄkea Marine National Monument. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Atoll’s Hawaiian name is Kuaihelani meaning the “backbone of the heavens.” Before the recent discovery of Kuaihelani it was given the place name Pihemanu meaning “a loud din of birds.” Kuaihelani is a magical place of stunning natural beauty, abundant wildlife, and monumental history ā a place to be cared for (mÄlama) and preserved into perpetuity. Itās also home to a small community of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service staff, volunteers, and contractors. Click the images below to explore different aspects of life on this special atoll.