Haleakala National Park Facts For Kids Who Adore Nature

Haleakala National Park is a reserved area in the remote islands of Maui, which protects the rich flora and fauna of the area.

This park draws its name from the dormant volcano of the area, named the Haleakala volcano. The literal meaning of the word 'Haleakala' is 'house of the sun.'

The barren surface of the Haleakala volcano crater might give the notion of a lifeless area. Although this holds true for the major part of this park, however, some species of animals, birds, and plants have thrived in this harsh environment.

These lifeforms are actually unique to this park and have adapted themselves to suit perfectly to extremities of the area.

The diversity of life found in this national park is astonishing, although many species of this park are currently at threat. This is due to the introduction of invasive species, overgrazing by cattle, and the like.

Haleakala National Park is a cultural significate site for the natives, and it preserves the volcanic topography of the area. The weather pattern of this area is unpredictable, and the summit suffers from constant weather shifting. The extreme winter temperature is contributed by the volcano's elevation.

While taking a trip to this beautiful wildlife-rich area, you should not miss out on the sunrise from the volcano's top. This view of the sunrise is perhaps one of the most spectacular views on the earth. If you are intrigued to learn more about this national park, then read on.

The Location Of Haleakala National Park

Haleakala National Park is located on the island of Maui of the state of Hawaii.

Haleakala National Park is located on the island of Maui in the state of Hawaii. Until 1916, this park was a part of the Hawaii National Park. However, Haleakala National Park became a separate entity in 1961 and now encompasses the volcanic crater of the Haleakala crater, Kipahulu valley, along with the pools of the 'Ohe'o Gulch area.

Haleakala National Park draws its name from the dormant volcano, Haleakala. At Red Hill, the elevation of this volcano is about 10,023 ft (3,055 m). This volcano is located within this park's boundaries, which is home to several endangered species. The view of the sunrise from the volcano top is a view that you don't want to miss!

The History Of Haleakala National Park

Haleakala National Park, which means 'house of the sun' in the Hawaiian language, is of historical importance, and the volcano's summit is considered to be sacred by the native Hawaiians.

Haleakala National Park, of the island of Maui, is home to several endangered species of the world, and in the native language, the term means 'house of the sun.' A dormant volcano, the Haleakala volcano, is the source of the name for this national park, and the park has a rich historical background.

Before Haleakala became a national park in 1916, it supported a mass of Hawaiian population that lived on the land and nurtured it for more than 1,000 years. There are multiple cultural sites within the park, and the summit of the volcano is considered to be sacred by the natives.

The natives believe that the demigod, Maui, is responsible for catching the sun at this summit and forcing the sun to slow down its journey speed. This was the reason why life for the natives became more comfortable.

Earlier, Haleakala National Park was within the jurisdiction of Hawaii National Park. This is also comprised of the volcanic ranges of Mauna Loa. But in 1961, this national park was bifurcated into two parts. The land falling on the Big Island formed the new Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, while the land in Maui became Haleakala National Park.

Today, this national park consists of two critical sections, the Kipahulu Valley, which also includes the pools of the Gulch area, and the Haleakala crater.

The Animals Of Haleakala National Park

Haleakala National Park hosts several unique animal and bird species of the earth, including many endangered species.

The islands of Hawaii can easily make it to the list of geographically isolated areas of the world, owing to their location in the mid-Pacific Ocean. This isolated landmass is, however, home to multiple unique species of animals and birds, and Haleakala National Park was established to protect these species.

This rich fauna of Haleakala National Park of the island of Maui includes many native species, which arrived on the island by flying in or being carried in. Some species might also have arrived by water.

The native birds of this park include the nene goose, which is also the state bird of Hawaii. It is the rarest goose in the world and is one of the many endangered species living in this park.

The pueo, or the sacred owl, and the Hawaiian petrel (the Ua'u) are a few other bird species found here. This Hawaiian region is also home to the state's only endemic land mammal, the Hawaiian bat.

The Hawaiian bat is a tiny bat that is solitary in nature and hunts on small insects living in the Maui summit.

Game birds, like the chukar partridge and Ring-necked pheasant, were the introduced bird species of the park. The most notorious invasive species of Haleakala National Park is the mongoose, which largely hunts on birds and their eggs, resulting in the extinction of many bird species.

A part of the Kipahulu Valley remains closed for the public in order to preserve these native species of the rainforest. This area is termed the Kipahulu Valley Biological Reserve.

The Plants Of Haleakala National Park

Haleakala National Park hosts impressive native plant species and offers protection to this fragile rainforest of the earth.

The various species of fauna found in Haleakala National Park are not the only endangered species of the area. This park is also home to many endangered plant species on the planet. Such an endangered plant is the Haleakala silversword or ahinahina.

It is a plant that is only noticeable in the park's alpine regions. These plants are largely threatened by humans because they suffer damage in the root system when humans step on them.

The Maui greensward is a rare plant species that is a distant relative of the ahinahina. Another native plant of the park is the Argyroxiphium virescens, which was once extinct from the park owing to overgrazing. These were later replanted.

The red-flowered tree geranium is another plant that calls Haleakala National Park it's home. This plant is widely seen in the park's summit district, and the park protects this plant from feral animals.

Haleakala sandalwood ('iliahi) is another unique plant of this park. It is a sweet-smelling wood plant, which is also threatened with extinction. Efforts are being made continuously to restore this rich flora of the park.

Some other endemic plant species of the park include Hawaiian lobeliads, Hawaiian orchids, and Hawaiian mints. These are flowering species, which are restricted to the upper Kipahulu valley.