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.
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.
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.
Many predictions came with the start of the new millennium, perhaps, save one: The birth of a female Hawaiian monk seal who would survive more than 22 years—and counting—and make a significant contribution to the recovery of the species. She was born in 2000 at Mahaulepu on the southeast coast of Kauai. Because that coastline is fairly rugged, it was decided to translocate her upon weaning to a spot that would give her as favorable a start in life as possible. This was back when the population of Hawaiian monk seals across the archipelago was declining every year and few were sighted in the Main Hawaiian Islands. When she was translocated, she was also flipper-tagged with RH58 on her left flipper and RH59 on her right. Both have since broken off.
RH58, also known to some as “Rocky,” started her prolific pupping history at age six. Since then, she’s pupped 14 times, skipping only three years. Eight of those pups were female. Six of the 14 are still regularly sighted, although they now range across the main Hawaiian Islands. The collective of RH58’s pups illustrate the many challenges facing Hawaiian monk seals in the Main Hawaiian Islands.
Here’s a recap and status of her offspring.
2006: RO12, male, last known sighting 2007.
2007: RB00, female, spends most of her time around Hawaii Island, returning to Kauai to pup.
2009: RA00, female, required veterinary intervention to investigate due to weight loss, disappeared 2011.
2010: RT12, male, died in 2016 on Oahu likely due to drowning in a fisheries interaction.
2011: RK52, female, birthed two pups (the first stillborn; the second, RL52, was thriving until her death due to suspicious circumstances. Hasn’t been seen since February 2021.
2012: RL17, female. Died from unknown causes.
2013: RN44, male. Has become one of the dominant males on Kauai, routinely seen all over the island.
2014: RF58, female. Survived a dog attack that left her with more than 60 bite marks on her body and lead to several abscesses. A NOAA veterinary team administered antibiotics. Unfortunately, RF58 died in a suspicious incident when she was less than one year old.
2015: RG58, male. Currently THE dominant male on Kauai. Seen all over the island, constantly proving that he’s the man.
2017: RJ58, female, known as “Kaimana,” because she was born at Kaimana Beach, Waikiki, Oahu; first known seal born at Waikiki. She was translocated at weaning and is doing well on Oahu.
2018: RK58, male. After numerous pup-switches that left him in a vulernable situaiton, he was raised at Ke Kai Ola on Hawaii Island and subsequently released into the wild. In 2021, he was attacked by dogs and went back to Ke Kai Ola for rehabilitation. He is currently thriving and commonly sighted around Kauai.
2019: RL58, female. Last seen on Kauai in Nov. 2020.
2020: RM58, female. Doing great. Routinely seen around Kauai.
2022: RQ58, male. Born at Kaimana Beach in Waikiki on Oahu. He was translocated upon weaning and is currently doing well on Oahu.
Late last week, regular “pupper” RK28 gave birth to Kauai’s third pup of the year. Here’s a photo of RK28 and her pup hours after birth.
PC: J. Thomton
RK28 was first identified as an adult in 2003, so she’s easily a minimum of 23 years old. She’s birthed eight known pups, but there have likely been others, too. In 2008, RK28 pupped on Oahu. In 2013, she was documented with a pup on Niihau. In 2014, she pupped for the first known time on Kauai. Then, starting in 2018, she’s pupped every year here. So, she pups around.
When you get to be RK28’s age, you’ve experienced some things, and over the years, she’s made headlines in these digital pages.
In 2021, she ranked as out number one reported Hawaiian monk seal on Kauai, especially impressive because the number of days she spent with her pup last year were not included in the total. (Read more about that here.)
In 2018, RK28 was involved in a “pup-switching” event, in which pups from nearby mothers somehow get switched. In this case, there were three moms/pups on the same beach at the same time. After numerous switches, the result was RH58, also known as Rocky, started showing aggression toward her pup. After numerous attempts to re-unite her with her pup, he was taken and successfully reared on Hawaii Island at Ke Kai Ola. (Read more about that here and here.)
In 2016, RK28 was involved in a male mobbing incident that left her with significant scarring on her back. (Read more about that here.)
In 2014, sadly, RK28 was involved in a horrific dog attack that left her two-week-old pup dead. (Read more about that here.)
Luckily, RK28’s recent pups are known to still be hanging around Kauai. They include: RKA4, RL28, RM28, and RP28. This year, both RM28 and RP28 were involved in hooking events.
This year’s pup has already been identified as male. He’s on the thin side, so it’s good to see him nursing, as in this photo.
The male Hawaiian monk seal pup known as Koalani has been relocated from the busy Kaimana Beach in Waikīkī to a remote Oahu shoreline. The move was made, according to NOAA, to “…allow Koalani to grow up wild and in the company of other monk seals, rather than surrounded by thousands of people every day during the most impressionable period of his life.”
Koalani is the 14th pup of RH58, also known as “Rocky,” and the second pup she’s birthed on Oahu. Her other 12 pups were born on Kauai. Rocky weaned Koalani on the evening of August 18th. During the transfer process, Koalani was given his permanent NOAA ID of RQ58. His flipper tags read Q58 (left) and Q59 (right). A satellite tag was also attached to his back to allow NOAA to monitor his movements over the coming weeks. When he was released at the new location, he headed to the water and began exploring the area and is reported to be doing well.
All images courtesy: DLNR
With the translocation of Koalani, state officials ended their 24-hour-a-day presence of DOCARE officers. According to a DLNR press release, the unprecedented law enforcement visibility started on August 3, after DLNR leadership responded to concerns about the safety of the seals and people. In July, a swimmer encountered the seals in the water near the Natatorium, and the protective mother seal bit her and caused minor injuries. The incident highlighted the real risks facing both the animals and curious humans who intentionally or inadvertently got too close.
During the two-week-long DOCARE presence on the beach and in the water, officers did not cite anyone for a violation termed “obstruction of a government operation.”
DOCARE Chief Jason Redulla stated, “Our men and women responded in force knowing that protection of our natural resources and public safety are part and parcel of DOCARE’s core mission. We haven’t calculated all the personnel costs, but we estimate the total time devoted to overwatch of the monk seals to be more than 500 manhours.”
The statement further shared that officers enforced a 50-yard cordon on the beach and in the ocean during the operation, which mirrors NOAA guidance for people to stay at least 150-feet away from resting or swimming seals. While no citations were issued, they did have to shoo away several swimmers who got too close to the animals.
After a whopping 50 days of nursing, RB00 weaned PK1 on July 15th. A few days later, she was bleach-marked V6. The next day, she was flipper-tagged Q60 (left flipper) and Q61 (right flipper).
This process usually takes about five minutes and includes a brief restraint while plastic flipper tags are applied in the webbing of the rear flippers. Her official ID is RQ60. The R indicates that she is part of the Main Hawaiian Island population and the Q indicates she was born in 2022, and 60 is her unique ID. During the tagging process RQ60’s length and girth were also measured, and a microchip was injected under the skin on her right flank.
Now, some interesting facts:
Average nursing days for “Kauai” mothers runs 42 days.
RB00’s longest nursing record on Kauai was 54 days in 2019. Pup was a male, RL08.
RB00 nursed RQ60 for 50 days.
At tagging, RL08‘s axillary girth measurement (around his body below his fore flippers) measured 143 centimeters. His length from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail measured 145 centimeters long.
At tagging, RQ60’s axillary girth measured 130 centimeters and her length came in at an astonishing 152 centimeters.
So, RB00 continues to produce some super-sized weaners.
Since tagging, RQ60 continues to hang out at her natal beach, spending more and more time in the water, investigating what the sea offers, including a few sea cucumbers. This is very typical behavior for Hawaiian monk seal weaners, as they figure out what’s good to eat in the sea.
What’s more, RQ60 has been hanging out with other young seals, including her older sister, two-year-old RM36.
On Oahu, RQ60’s grandmother RH58 (“Rocky”) has been making headlines again. She pupped on busy Waikiki beach a few weeks ago and, unfortunately, there have been various interactions with swimmers, including an altercation resulting in injuries to one swimmer. It’s always a good to steer clear of mother monk seals and their pups–give them extra wide berth in the water.
Kauai’s second pup (PK2) of 2022 arrived on June 26th to mom R400, known to spend much of her time around Niihau (but she once made an appearance on Oahu) and tends to give birth on remote beaches on Kauai.
So far, so good. Pup is growing and active. S/he’s staying in the same basic area and starting to swim for longer periods and around mom in shallow water.
PC: M. Olry
Meanwhile, on Oahu, one of the most well-known Hawaiian monk seals–RH58 (“Rocky”)–gave birth to her 14th pup at Waikiki. So, the 22-year-old won’t be making a visit to Kaua’i to give birth this year.
Last week, the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) reported the fifth Hawaiian monk seal pup born on Oahu this year. Lesley Macpherson of the DLNR Division of State Parks captured the birth on video.
DLNR also reported new mom RH92 gave birth to her first-born pup, PO4, on or around April 14. RH92 was born to RK22 in May 2016. Shortly after weaning, a fisherman witnessed a dog attack her. Luckily, the puncture wounds weren’t deep; however, she was given antibiotics to stave off any possible infection. Then, she started feeding off scraps at a boat harbor, so she was translocated to a remote beach elsewhere on the island. Except that she returned to the boat harbor within a couple weeks. Luckily, an outreach campaign and regular law enforcement patrols reduced the amount of fishing scraps, and RH92 left the immediate area, foraging more widely. In November 2018, at the young age of two-and-a-half, RH92 made the open-ocean crossing to Oahu where she has been regularly sighted ever since.
On Kauai, there are several females who have pupped on the island in recent years:
RB00: A recent regular “pupper” on Kauai, RB00’s due date is predicted to be May 1. She was born on Kauai but spends her days on/off Hawaii Island and typically rolls onto a Kauai beach on the north shore a day or two before giving birth.
R400, also a regular pupper on Kauai. She pupped at Polihale last year in mid-June.
The prolific RH58 took last year off and did not pup. At this point, she has not been confirmed to be pregnant.
RK22 last known pupping event was 2017. She’s rarely sighted, presumably spending her days at Niihau.
RK28, another traveler, she has not been sighted recently.
Monthly Update: The Kauai team logged 209 seal sightings this month. This included 28 individually identified seals.
May: 209
April: 155
March: 137
February: 119
January: 125
December: 119
November: 133
October: 152
September: 152
August: 198
July: 120
June: 81
May: 147
New:
Flipper tagged RH58’s (Rocky) pup from 2020 as RM58, and gave morbillivirus vaccine.
Return of visitors causing increased disturbance to seals across the island. More signs put at racks at Poipu beach park to manage SRA without ropes and volunteers deployed.
Updates:
RB00 and new pup KP1 continue to thrive.
3-year-old male R1NI washed ashore dead on the south shore. Carcass was fresh code 2, collected and frozen on Kauai, then shipped to Oahu for necropsy. Gross necropsy did not reveal much, awaiting histopathology lab results.
Subadult male seal RK58 was returned from KKO after 6 weeks of rehab and released on March 26. He was treated at KKO for likely dog attack injuries that resulted in significant weight loss and infected puncture wounds.
Morbillivirus Vaccination: RM58 received the initial vaccine this month.
Research/Support of PIFSC:
Sub-sampled scat, molt, and tissue plug samples accordingly.
Logged all seal sightings for PIFSC database. Organized photos and reported sightings, molt tallies, survival factors to send to PIFSC.
Kaua'i Seals 