Tuesday, April 13, 2010

4/13/2010 DB Dailies

I spent the day with M38,Buster,Mojo & Duke at Rabbit Island. Just a routine day until...... "Ive got some bad news for you... " were Shawn Farry's exact words. The call came at 1253. He went on to say that Mikala had been found at Bellows, MURDERED in yet ANOTHER Gill Net. She was still wrapped in it, floating in the water, and was brought ashore by Bellows lifeguards. I'd last seen her at Rabbit Island on Sunday. I am sick and tired of the HYPOCRISY !!!!! She was 9 months, 19 days old today.
Mikala (RA14) 6-25-2009 - 4-13-2010
Buster, Duke & Mikala from December
Sweet Baby Girl
RIP Angel

12 comments:

Hawaii Stella's said...

There are no words for this atrocity.
I think as a group we need to speak out about gill nets and LACK of enforcement and responsiblity.
This is preventable.
DAMN!

Charles said...

Aloha All. I share your sentiments, sadness, and frustration. I certainly will not advise you to not try to make a change. I would just ask that if you do move forward with statements or actions, temper your emotions and and channel the energy to be eloquent advocates for your seals. Make change, but be aware that some action may enhance animosity towards seals. Very sorry for all of our loss today.

val said...

My heart goes out to all of you Oahu volunteers/NOAA staff. This is my greatest fear on every trek I take here on Molokai, as the gilnet rules are even less here.
DB, many hugs to you as I know these seals are your family. God Bless and let's see what kind of positive changes we can make to protect these awesome animals.
RIP Miss Mikala,sweet sweet girl.

Colleen said...

Sadly, we have too many of these sad days in our monk seal lives. My heart is breaking tonight for Mikala. Keep fighting the good fight everyone.

Donna said...

Point well taken Charles.... easy to act on emotions... The last thing we want to do is create a full on feud... Important to try and work through the issues, with of course the support of enforcement. A sad day for us all... and the loss of a sweet baby girl makes it that much worse.

Liz said...

I am angry and sad ..are we not already in a crisis with these beautiful animals, and now we have a baby killed, again by human hands ? It is hard enough when nature allows for their death- but now this kind of death seems so preventable....???

Anonymous said...

Outreach...we need more outreach! Can we get some funds for OUTREACH?????

Dana Jones said...

Our hearts are broken and shattered. Protecting these beautiful creatures are more important than a piece of fish. Critically Endangered Hawaiian of the Ocean.

Getting rid of gil nets to protect fishermen and their catch protects our endangered HMS.

Diga said...

Sad beyond words...another baby lost to a gil net. I'm so sorry DB because I know you've come to know her well as we have through your reports. RIP Mikala. Diane

Karen Bryan said...

We need help getting to people...to make them love the seals as much as we love them! It's time to recruit people...for the Monk Seal Marines! Anyone who would like to join in outreach...let us know. It would be great to do something every single weekend, but we can't have the same people doing it each time because we all have very busy lives. The Allens and I are doing outreach this weekend at the Marine base for the environmental expo. Anybody available for the next weekend? Maybe Patrick Ching will let us set up outside his place? Just thinking...and very heartbroken. Try to remain calm and handle this passionately, yet rationally and professionally.

kh said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Barbara said...

Oh Mikala...how could this happen to our sweet baby girl????? This is our third pup, caught in a gill net!!! Too many tragic deaths!!! I am numb with sadness. I hate GILL NETS WITH A PASSION!!! I HATE ALL NETS, THEY SLAUGTER OUR CHILDREN OF THE SEA!!!!! And it CAN HAPPEN AGAIN!!!! We can change this, we can, BAN ALLL NETS IN THIS AREA ALREADY!!!!!!! Our beloved pups are innocent victims!!!!! Please, Please, stop the netting already. We have lost another female, TRAGICALLY!!!!! What are we waiting for...DO SOMETHING ABOUT THOSE NETS!!!!!!!!!!!! We have just 30 seals left on Oahu, right? There are thousands of fishermen. We got to stop NETS around Waimanalo...PLEASE!!!! I cant believe this, I am numb!!! God bless your sweet soul Mikala, OH HOW I WILL MISS YOU!!!! I'm sorry. I'm sorry.