Moku Mana is located east of Ke‘anae just offshore of Pauwalu Point in a cluster of basaltic sea stacks which also includes Moku Hala and Manahoa Rock. Moku Mana is a long shaped islet about 1.1 acres in size and about 65 ft. high. The lower portions are wave worn. The vegetation on the top flattish area of the islet is made up of a fairly dense low grass, herb, and shrubland. There are large patches of wiregrass (Eleusine indica), ‘ākulikuli (Sesuvium portulacastrum), and naupaka (Scaevola taccada). In between these large patches and on margins are occasional lantana (Lantana camara), christmas berry (Schinus terebinthifolius), pōpolo (Solanum americanum), ‘ihi (Portulaca lutea), pigweed (Portulaca oleracea), and pualele (Emilia fosbergii). ‘Ūlei (Osteomeles anthyllidifolia) is found on the sheer windward slopes, along with a few native sedges, including Carex wahuensis and Cyperus phleoides. ‘Ākulikuli drapes down the slopes. Additional native plants include ko‘oko‘olau (Bidens hillebrandiana subsp. polycephala), button sedge(Fimbristylus cymosa), and itchy crabgrass (Digiteria setigera).
Many seabirds can be seen nesting or resting on Moku Mana: ‘ua‘u kani (wedge-tailed shearwaters or Puffinus pacificus) on top of north islet; noio (black noddies or Anous minutus melanogenys) nest on sheer walls; ‘ūlili (Heteroscelus incanus), ‘a (brown boobies or Sula leucogaster plotus), and ‘iwa (frigatebirds or Fregata minor palmerstoni) also frequent the islet.
Invertebrates on the northern vegetated side include: honey bee (Apis melifera); native naupaka moths (Udea littorea), Hyleus bees, and Hawaiian beet webworms (Spolodea recurvalis). Aliens have found the islet such as crazy ants (Paratrechina longicornis), praying mantis, and Tornatellid snails (Tornatellides sp.).
As with all state Seabird Islet Sanctuaries, visiting Moku Mana is prohibited. They are rare places where seabirds can nest with few or no predators and no large mammals (including humans) trampling and crushing the burrow where they raise their young. Turtles and seals can rest on their tiny shores without harassment and they are havens for native insects and plants without people constantly inadvertently bringing in weed seeds and other alien pests. Respect and admire these places through binoculars, peacefully, from shore.
