Why is a nene protected species?

Why is nene a protected species?

The Hawaiian Goose/Nene is recognized worldwide for its remarkable evolutionary journey on Earth. Due to several ecological factors specific to Hawaii and over-hunting by people, Nene is an extremely rare species and has been categorized as “Endangered” based on the criteria outlined by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, as well as being protected throughout their habitats, which lie exclusively within the Hawaiian archipelago.