Monk Seal Monday #210: Pup Predictions

Q: Where does a 600-pound Hawaiian monk seal give birth?

A: Anywhere she wants.

And so it goes with trying to predict pupping events on Kauai each year. Some seals are predictable. Some are not. Some years, females return to their natal site to give birth. Some years, they don’t. Some years, reproductive females give birth. Some years, they take a break. That said, biologists continue to make predictions, and here are those predictions for a few of the somewhat regular Hawaiian monk seal mothers on Kauai. And, then, seemingly out of the blue, someone new will show up, say, a first-time mom. Or not.

RF30	4/3/24
RH92	5/11/24
R400	7/21/24
RK28	~7/30/2024
RB00	7/18/24
RH58	6/16/24

While Hawaiian monks seal will give birth any month of the year, the tendency is spring and summer. The gestation period is 10 to 11 months. Typically, a female Hawaiian monk seal only carries one pup at a time, but on the very rare occasion, twins have been recorded. A breeding female can give birth year after year after year, but it’s common for her to take off a year every now and then, too. 

Photographs are helpful in monitoring a Hawaiian monk seal’s health. If you see any Hawaiian monk seal anywhere on Kauai, please photograph them (from a distance and without disturbing them) and forward photos to kauaiseals@gmail.com.

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Monk Seal Monday #209: 2022 (P)update

Here’s a recap of the three seals born on Kauai in 2022, all three doing well:

RQ52 – pup of R400 born at Polihale. Was translocated to the north shore after weaning for her safety, eventually she worked her way around the island and has settled in as a west side seal, often seen at PMRF.

RQ60 – pup of RB00 born on the north shore. She also worked her way around the island and eventually settled primarily on the west side often seen at PMRF.

RQ78 – pup of RK28 born on the north shore. He has stuck to his birth area and is only seen on the north shore.

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Monk Seal Monday #204:

Year End Monk Seal Management Stats for 2023:

Grand sightings total:

o   3,083 or 8.5 seals sightings/day on Kauai in 2023

o   3,381 or 9.3/day in 2022

o   2,377 or 6.5/day in 2021

o   2,005 or 5.5/day in 2020

o   3,154 or 8.9/day in 2019

o   3,253 or 8.9/day in 2018

o   3,621 or 9.9/day in 2017

o   3,236 or 8.9/day in 2016

o   3,321 or 9.1/day in 2015

o   2,516 or 6.9/day in 2014

Kauai population:

o   70 unique individual seals sighted on Kauai in 2023

o   69 in 2022

o   65 in 2021

o   67 in 2020

o   67 in 2019

o   60 in 2018

o   60 in 2017

o   56 in 2016

o   53 in 2015

o   47 in 2014

Births: 3 total born on Kauai in 2023

o   3 pups born on North Shore in two locations.

Rescues: 6 seal responses that resulted in full recoveries:

o   Adult female RKA2 – sustained injuries consistent with dog bite wounds. Treated with medication in the field and fully recovered.

o   4-year-old female RL30 was hooked with a large circle hook in mouth with trailing gear. The gear was snipped away without disturbing the seal. We intend to remove the hook when safe to do so, however the hook does not appear to affect her foraging.

o   2-year-old male RP32 was hooked with light-weight gear, the line was snipped without disturbing the seal and the hook came out without intervention.

o   Adult male R610 was body hooked with two J-hooks on his left flank along with extensive trailing line. The line was trimmed away without disturbing the seal, and the hooks came out later without intervention.

o   Adult female RK28 and well-known mother seal sustained severe mobbing wound injuries from mating. Antibiotics were administered in the field and she fully recovered.

o   Adult female RH38 was brought into captivity for treatment of multiple ailments at Ke Kai Ola for the third time in her life, and once again restored to full health and returned to Kauai.

Mortalities: 2 confirmed mortality in 2023:

o   3-year-old female RM28 died after sustaining severe shark bite injuries. She was brought in for captive care, but succumbed to the injuries.

o   Adult female R615 died of unknown causes, necropsy results were inconclusive.

Niihau Seals (likely): sighted a minimum of 9 new seals in 2023, but likely more as several new untagged seals had no markings or scars so no temporary IDs were given (9 in 2022, 8 in 2021, 8 in 2020, 5 in 2019, 9 in 2018, 12 in 2017, 6 in 2016, 14 in 2015).

Displacements: 12 total displacements occurred.

o   9 displacements from the Poipu Keiki Pool.

o   2 displaced off the road

o   1 displaced off the lifeguard tower access ladder

Vaccination for morbillivirus efforts:

o   5 seals were vaccinated

Bleach marking effort:

o   16 bleach marks were applied

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Field Report: October 2023

The Kauai team logged 199 seal sightings this month (216 in Sept, 254 in Aug, 230 in July, 270 in June, 287 in May). This included 30 individually identified seals.

New:

·       One seal vaccinated this month, a new juvenile Niihau male.

Updates:

·       Adult female RH38 sent to KKO via USCG for diagnostics and care. The seal is stable and continues to receive medical care. 

·       Adult female RK28 was treated with antibiotics for moderately severe mobbing wounds on the lower back. The seal recovered and was sighted in good health this month. She was possibly pregnant, but the expected birthing date has passed. We suspect the seal will forego pupping this year. UPDATE: Seal molted this month and is thus not reproducing this year. The mobbing wounds have healed. 

·       Adult male R610 was body hooked. Staff trimmed away extensive trailing gear. We suspect the hooks have fallen out by now, but still need confirmation on his next sighting.

·       Adult female RL30 remains hooked. UPDATE: Seal sighted on 6/10, 7/16 and 10/2, still good body condition but hook remains. Capture and hook removal may be necessary in future.

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Field Report: September 2023

The Kauai team logged 216 seal sightings this month (254 in Aug, 230 in July, 270 in June, 287 in May, 303 in April). This included 29 individually identified seals.

Updates:

·       Adult female RH38 sent to KKO via USCG for diagnostics and care. The seal is stable and continues to receive medical care. 

·       Adult female RK28 was treated with antibiotics for moderately severe mobbing wounds on the lower back. The seal recovered and was sighted in good health this month. She was possibly pregnant, but the expected birthing date has passed. We suspect the seal will forego pupping this year.

·       RS10/PK3 extensive pup watch schedule continued on the north shore – 4 months of pup watch total!

·       Adult male R610 was body hooked. Staff trimmed away extensive trailing gear. We suspect the hooks have fallen out by now, but still need confirmation on his next sighting.

·       Adult female RL30 remains hooked. UPDATE: Seal sighted on 6/10, 7/16 and 10/2, still good body condition but hook remains. Capture and hook removal may be necessary in future.

·       Booster vaccinated two seals this month.

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Monk Seal Monday #197: Pupping Update

This year’s pupping season is turning out to be one of surprises. The mothers of the first two pups of the year—RH92 and RF30—didn’t even make the list of pupping predictions (below) for 2023. 

Here’s who did make the pupping predictions shared earlier this spring:

RB00	Kauai	6/11
R400	Kauai	7/11
RK28	Kauai	9/10
RH58	Kauai / Oahu	7/25

Starting at the bottom, turns out, RH58, also known as Rocky, either, wasn’t ever pregnant or lost the pregnancy early in her term. She’s currently still reported to be hauling out around Oahu.

Then, R400, who in prior years gave birth on a west side beach, switched things up by pupping on a north shore beach.

RB00, who spends most of her adult life around Hawaii Island, also switched up her pupping site this year. Instead of a north shore beach on Kauai’i, where she’d pupped for four straight years, this summer, she gave birth to a male on Lāna’i. (Click here to read more in Lāna’i Today.

That leaves RK28 whose estimated pupping date was yesterday. She was last reported two weeks ago at a north shore beach. But like these others mothers, she’s pupped around—on Kauai every year since 2018 but also Oahu and Niihau. And like RH58, she’s also an older monk seal, easily a minimum of 24 years old. She’s birthed eight known pups, but there have likely been others, too.

Here’s RK28’s 2022 pup, later flipper-tagged as RQ78.

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Monk Seal Monday #185: Pup Predictions

It’s that time of year. Winter’s surf season on the north shore is winding down. The spring equinox is near. New leaf growth on mango trees are sprouting hope–and whetting appetites. And some really big Hawaiian monk seals are hauling their head bodies out of the buoyant sea and onto Kauai’s beaches. In other words, it’s near pupping season.

While Hawaiian monks seal will give birth any month of the year, the tendency is spring and summer. The gestation period is 10 to 11 months. Typically, a female Hawaiian monk seal only carries one pup at a time, but on the very rare occasion, twins have been recorded. A breeding female can give birth year after year after year, but it’s common for her to take off a year every now and then, too. This year, the estimated due dates of four regular “puppers” start in June.

RB00	Kauai	6/11
R400	Kauai	7/11
RK28	Kauai	9/10
RH58	Kauai / Oahu	7/25

Hawaiian monk seals have a tendency to give birth at their own natal birth site. So, often, we see pregnant monk seals on Kauai who get bigger and bigger and bigger, only to disappear for six or eight weeks, re-appearing looking very skinny and/or having recently molted. The deduction is that these are females who were born at Niihau and return there to give birth, much as RH58, also known as “Rocky” spends her adult days around Oahu and usually–but not always–returns to Kauai to give birth.

In fact, here are a few females who may be adding to the Hawaiian monk seal population–mysterious as they are–without their actual birthing events being confirmed: RK90, R371, R1KY, R337, and R1KM.

Here are recent photos of a very pregnant-looking R1KM. Will she pup on Kauai? Or elsewhere?

• 

• 

• 

[Photo credit: J. Honnert.]

If you see any Hawaiian monk seal anywhere on Kauai, please photograph them (from a distance and without disturbing them) and forward photos to kauaiseals@gmail.com.

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Field Report: October 2022

Monthly Update: The Kauai team logged 277 seal sightings this month. This included 32 individually identified seals.

• October: 277
• September: 400
• August: 320
• July: 311
• June: 283
• May: 248
• April: 294
• March: 292
• February: 233
• January: 233
• December: 267
• November: 168
• October: 229

New:

·       Five large dogs harassed and possibly bit an adult seal at Makua at Cannon’s surf break (near Tunnels surf break). It appeared one man brought all 5 dogs to the beach and allowed them to run off leash and did very little to stop them from harassing and chasing the seal off the beach. Photos were submitted of the dogs and owner, and sent to DOCARE and Humane Society for further action. All seals seen in the area since are in good health and show no signs of dog bite injuries.

Updates:

·       Continue to closely monitor yearling RP32 who is in thin body condition. The seal is likely in pre-molt.

·       PK3 weaned from mother RK28 after 40 days of nursing. The pup was flipper tagged with Q78 and Q79 tags and vaccinated. His new ID is RQ78. The pup has remained in his natal area and is thriving.

Molting: 5 seals molted this past month.

Vaccination: Vaccinated weaned pup RQ78.

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Field Report: September 2022

Monthly Update: The Kauai team logged 400 seal sightings this month. This included 41 individually identified seals.

• September: 400
• August: 320
• July: 311
• June: 283
• May: 248
• April: 294
• March: 292
• February: 233
• January: 233
• December: 267
• November: 168
• October: 229
• September: 251

New:

·       Nothing to report.

Updates:

·       Continue to closely monitor yearling RP32 who is in thin body condition. The seal is likely in pre-molt.

·       RK28 gave birth to PK3 (3^rd pup of the year for Kauai). The usual signage was erected and the pup watch schedule continued. The male pup is thriving, and weaned in early October (which will be reported in the next report).

Molting: 5 seals molted this past month.

Bleaching: 3 seals were bleach marked.

Vaccination: Vaccinated weaned pup RQ52.

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Monk Seal Monday #174: RK28 Weans Pup

Wrapping 39 days of nursing, a thin RK28 was last seen with her pup on October 3rd. She’s now, foraging to replenish her lost energy stores while PK3 is learning how to forage on his own.

PC: A Kaufmann

PC: A Kaufmann

PK3 will be flipper-tagged in the next couple weeks. Meanwhile, one way to identify him is by a natural bleach mark on his mid-back.

PC: A Kaufmann

PK3 pupped at a low birth weight, but by weaning had certainly plumped up to a healthy size.

PC: M. Olry

For now, PK3 is in his mouthy stage, exploring the nearshore waters, as well as, the beach for what might be tasty.

PC: R Kulhanek

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