Field Report: March 2024

The Kauai team logged 314 seal sightings this month (298 in Feb, 256 in Jan, 267 in Dec, 251 in Nov, 199 in Oct). This included 35 individually identified seals.

New Issues

·       Juvenile female seal Temp622 (bleached V22) observed with a fresh cookie cutter shark bite directly over the left eye. Seal given 3 doses of antibiotics and is healing slowly. Seal continues to forage and maintain body condition. Further antibiotics to be administered as needed and seal will be closely monitored. 

·       Juvenile male seal RS10 observed with line trailing from the mouth. Line snipped by hotel security, volunteer, and Olry. Line observed going down the throat. Seal captured, transported to KKO by USCG C-130 for endoscopic hook removal. Procedure successful, small-medium J hook removed from esophagus. Seal returned to Kauai for release in Kapaa. Seal re-sighted in good health many times post release.

·       Adult female R371 – observed with fresh large shark bite wounds on ventrum. Wounds not serious, healing well, seal was lucky.

Updates:

·       Seal activity very high this month. Typical day at Poipu Beach Park includes 3-6 seals in several SRA. Typical day at Salt Pond Beach Park includes 3-7 seals, also in several SRAs and challenging to manage.

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Monk Seal Monday #211: RS10’s Surprise Journey

Eight-month-old Hawaiian monk seal known as RS10 made an unexpected trip to Ke Kai Ola on Hawaii Island after an astute volunteer noticed fishing line extending from the young seal’s mouth. RS10 was born last year to R400. As young monk seals mature and figure out what makes for good eats, they are especially vulnerable to entanglements with fishing gear.

X-rays at Ke Kai Ola confirmed a fish hooked was embedded in RS10’s esophagus. Thankfully, it was safely removed under anesthesia and RS10 rebounded quickly. According to this report from Ke Kai Ola, he readily munched on herring offered him. Thanks to the escort of the U.S. Coast Guard, RS10 is now back on Kauai and, as these photos indicate, he has since been re-sighted numerous times, looking good.

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This is a good reminder for beachgoers to report any and all monk seal sightings to 808-651-7668. And, also, to take a good look—without disturbing the seal—of its mouth for fishing lines, hook, and anything else unnatural.

Here is a video of RS10 wasting no time returning to the sea upon his release.

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Monk Seal Monday #208: 2023 (P)update

The three pups born in 2023 are doing well. Here’s an update on each:

RS10 is routinely being sighted along the Kapaa coastline and seems to be an east side boy after staring his life on the north shore last July. He was originally identified as PK3.

RS24 has been more elusive but has also popped up in various locations on the east side, including near Kealia Beach in February. She was also a north shore born pup in April, 2023 and known originally as PK2.

RS30 has broadened his horizons and has been sighted on Niihau, in good health and surrounded by many other seals. He was born on the north shore in March of 2023 and known originally as PK1.

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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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Field Report: August 2023

Monthly Update: The Kauai team logged 254 seal sightings this month (230 in July, 270 in June, 287 in May, 303 in April, 294 in Mar). This included 34 individually identified seals.

New:

·       Juvenile male RP32 was hooked with light weight monofilament trailing from his mouth. The trailing line was snipped, no hook observed externally. Suspect small hook in mouth which will not likely cause significant harm. Seal has been resighted many times since in good health.

·       Adult male R610 was body hooked and trailed extensive gear. The gear consisted of a pigtail swivel and 200 pound monofilament line as well as 4 medium j-hooks and medium weight line and bobber used for shore casting/reef fishing. The gear was tangled together and trailing from two hooks embedded in his left flank. The line was snipped close to the hooks and all of the gear removed, except for the two medium sized j-hook that remain superficially embedded in the seals body. No further response necessary, the hooks will fall out without intervention.

·       Adult male R411 was displaced by staff down the beach after he hauled out against the Poipu lifeguard tower, preventing lifeguard access.

·       New juvenile male seal was flipper tagged as R8HI and vaccinated twice.

·       A visitor touched a seal at Poipu causing it to rear up and vocalize. Lifeguards warned the person over the bull-horn not to disturb the wildlife.

Updates:

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

·       PK3 weaned on the north shore. Minimal problems encountered during nursing period, mostly off leash local dogs. Pup was tagged as RS10 and vaccinated twice. The extensive pup watch schedule continues.

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

Volunteers

·       2 volunteers were recruited and trained at Poipu Beach Park.

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Monk Seal Monday #196: Meet RS10

Today, Kauai’s third pup of the year, a male born to R400 on a remote beach on the north shore, was officially tagged S10 (left flipper) and S11 (right flipper). He was born July 6th and nursed for 37 days when his mother weaned him a week ago. Now, R400, her ribs visible showing and hunger forcing her to sea, will focus her efforts on replenishing the energy stores she lost giving birth and raising her pup to this point. Mother seals at this stage are not only lacking body fat and calories from their long fast while nursing, exercising and protecting their pups, but they are also depleting their hydration, as their metabolic water comes from their prey which is often 70% water in body weight.

At tagging, RS10 measured 126 cm nose to tail and 111 cm around just below his fore flippers (axillary girth). He is also bleach-marked “V10” for easy identification. According to NOAA’s scientific database, he is now known as RS10.

PC: M. Olry

RS10 is the first Hawaiian monk seal pup born in the immediate area since 1991. That seal became known as “Hina” in the well-known children’s book by Patrick Ching titled, “The Story of Hina.” Both Hina and, now, RS10 were welcomed and watched over by the nearby community. 

RS10 will, like most weaners, play and mouth things on the beach, learning how to grab with his teeth. Next, he’ll start to explore the reef for food. Most pups will be seen the first week or so mouthing sea cucumbers, causing them to expel their sticky white stringy intestines in self preservation. Often these white strings look like fishing monofilament line around the mouth. 

At this time, the pup is most vulnerable, and being naive, he may approach people, dogs, or things on the beach out of curiosity. While he will stick close to the area he was born, for the next few weeks or more, later, he will start to move and explore up and down the coast. Maybe, he’ll find some juvenile seals that frequent the area and socialize with them and not people.

In fact, one such juvenile might be a two-year-old male who has been sighted on the north shore the past few months and happened to also get tagged today. He’s officially R8HI with the flipper tags 8HI (left) and 8HH (right).

PC: M. Olry

PC: M. Olry

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