HONOLULU — Dogs killed hundreds of wedge-tailed shearwater chicks at the Kaena Point nature reserve over the weekend.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is attempting to catch the dogs and track down their owners.

“It is tragic, it is preventable, it is irresponsible for people to have dogs in a bird habitat area. It’s just an unfortunate loss,” said Peter Young, department director.

The reserve is within Kaena Point State Park. A sign at the Mokuleia entrance tells visitors to keep their dogs out of the natural area reserve.

The wedge-tailed shearwater, or uau kani, is not endangered or threatened. But the state is trying to prevent human trespassing on its habitats to preserve the species.

There are about 270,000 of the birds in the Hawaiian Islands, most of them in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

Young said he learned of the bird deaths late Monday. The event cast a pall of sadness over the staff as the news spread quickly, he said.

“This is just not one of the good days,” Young said. “You just kinda shake your head. Why can’t people be more responsible?”

State administrative rules prohibit injuring or killing any plant or animal life in natural area reserves. The rules also prohibit the introduction of plants or animals.

Violators face up to one year in prison and a $1,000 fine if found guilty of harming life in a nature reserve. The state may also impose administrative fines.

Wedge-tailed shearwaters are ground-nesting seabirds. The shearwater chicks leave their nests in the sand dunes at this time of year. Young said there were up to 700 shearwater chicks at Kaena. The state is still trying to determine how many were killed by the attacking dogs.

The reserve is also home to other seabirds, including the Laysan albatross, red-footed booby, brown booby, brown noddy and black-footed albatross.

Gov. George Ariyoshi established the Kaena Point Natural Area Reserve in 1983 by executive order to protect the threatened sand dune ecosystem of rare native plant communities.

The reserve was also established as a potential refuge and breeding area for the Laysan albatross, endangered Hawaiian monk seal and threatened green sea turtle.

Monk seals usually breed in the Northwestern Hawaiian islands. However, a monk seal gave birth to a pup at the point this summer.