MonkSealMania.blogspot.com: November 2012

Thursday, November 29, 2012

More on R5AY

Aloha Good People

Try this link there is some video footage of Honey Girl while she was recovering.
http://www.hawaii247.com/2012/11/26/monk-seal-recovering-on-oahu-after-reconstructive-surgery-from-hook-injury/

At 0646 I found Kaiwi (RK96), M38 & Duke (RA12) in a little group at the back of Rocky Right Beach on Rabbit Island. Each would move down independently during the morning, to cool off. M38's D#5 molt is 20%, I couldn't get a good enough look at Kaiwi's belly, to assess her D#2 molt. While I did not see Duke's N18 on the right side, I did see his girdle, and it was quite visible, though crappy shooting conditions made a decent shot impossible. M38 and Duke entered the water at 1113 . M38 would haul out again to 1BS at 1150, and Duke returned to RRB at 1153.

Kaiwi remained there the entire day.

On a pan at 1233 I suddenly found that Aukai (RL12) had hauled out to the right side of Seal Rock Inlet, where she remained the rest of the day.

Team Billand called at 0846 to report Benny (RE74) at Yokes.

They found Kermit (R012) at Paradise Cove at 1043.

Zeeny checked in from Ka'ena Point with word of RIP (RR70) and Noa (R6FI) together up near the Naupaka, and Ka'ena (RO40) and Kerby (RW08) together in the main pool, at the end of the world.

Dera called at 1130 with a report of "a small" U/U off shore of Makua Beach on the west side. The caller is said to have seen a partial bleach which he thought to be a "1" and a "2". Though it must remain an U/U, I'm hopeful that he may have seen a leg of an N and the 2 of N20, which would be RL42,but ??????????????

Diga called at 1408 with the great news that she had found an 85% molted La'akea (RK82) under her favorite Naupaka bush at the elbow, Turtle Bay. While there had been previous reports of her beginning her molt, this is the first documented percentage. She has probably been at it for at least a week or two.

R5AY was transported from the Aquarium and released at Turtle Bay today. She was released at the Keiki Pond, The last report I saw said she was snoozin' near the water line.

M38 resting

Gorgeous!

La'akea clean not green

Benny @ Yokes

Life Guard on Duty!

Kermit @ Paradise Cove

Divers and Kermit

Linda and Kermit!!

Honey Girl R5AY Returns to Turtle Bay!

Aloha Good People! Most of you already know either through the news or having been there, but today was a huge day. R5AY returned back to her home in the wild. This was a huge undertaking by the NOAA team and of course many dedicated volunteers.

Let's hope she continues on the road of recovery and gets some weight on her before her molt begins.

A magic moment

skinny mini

Team NOAA

Resting comfortably and wired to make calls

11-28-2012 DB's Dailies

At 0653 I found M38, Kaiwi (RK96) and Duke (RA12) all in a group at Rocky Right Beach, on Rabbit Island. Jesse, Mark & Sean did the RI trip today (with Chad supervising). The main purpose of the trip was to recover M38's transmitter which he got rid of a few days ago, but was still transmitting. My Monachus Gene whispered to me that it would be in the Morning Glory fronting the 1BS, and by golly thats where Jesse found it (just like I have a clue ).

The secondary purpose of the trip was to try to get a bleach on Duke, and Jesse came through again, getting a right side N18 and a girdle on the boy. That will help a lot.

When Sean sent today's photos he advised that there was fishing line under his left fore flipper, visible in one of the shots. I'll keep an eye on that, but I've noticed nothing out of the ordinary in his behavior.

Also visible in the shot is proof that Kaiwi has just barely begun her molt. Small breaks can be see on her ventral side. D#1, 1%.

Team Billand checked in at 0751 with the report of Kermit (R012) at Wind Sock.

Dera called at 1100 to advise that Eileen had reported Ewa Girl (RS00) at the Reef Runway.

Dana called in the afternoon to advise that RL54, and a molting (finally) La'akea (RK82) had been seen at the elbow , Turtle Bay.

Duke getting his N18

NOAA/PIFSC at work on Rabbit Island

Kaiwi next to Duke

Duke sporting his new bleaching

Gorgeous... gorgeous ... absolutely beautiful Sunrise.... thank you Team Billand

Kermit belly up in a good way

Kermit belly down

Now he's just showing off !!!

Another long beautiful day put in by Team Billand.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

11-27-2012 DB's Dailies

At 0658 I found M38 and Kaiwi (RK96) once again together, tucked into the base of the cliff at Rocky Right Beach. Each would move down independently to cool off.

At 1036 Duke arrived to join the other two at RRB. He had last been seen on 10-31-12. There was no reaction to his arrival by M38, and a short period of lightweight interaction with Kaiwi. All would move higher, with Kaiwi in the lead. After a snooze, Duke moved down again, and not long after, Kaiwi followed. Several minutes later M38 moved down to join them. I lost them behind the water front rocks, from the pier , so at 1300 I relocated to the Makapuu Overview. I found all three at the water line. M38 and Duke began to spat in the shallows and Kaiwi turned a moved back up. The interaction was just a couple of minutes. First M38 and then Duke, moved back up to join Kaiwi near the cliff. All would remain there the rest of the day. M38's D#3 molt is 10%.

At 0706 I got a call from and unknown person at White Plains reporting 2 animals, one on the main beach, and another fronting one of the cabins. I notified the Billands and they confirmed that Benny (RE74) was near the Snack Bar, and according to witnesses, the other animal had departed earlier. Benny would depart at 1802.

At 0928 the Billands found Kermit (R012) at Wind Sock. Kermit would enter the water at 1745, but remained in the area as the Billands departed.

Karen Rohter sent a link to the Marine Mammal Center groundbreaking on the Big Island. The clip at this site is very informative and will give you some insight to the work that has been going on for several years to make this all possible. I am honored and proud to have met many of these people and thrilled this is becoming a reality. (note the video is over 45 minutes long).

http://www.marinemammalcenter.org/Get-Involved/awareness-campaigns/save-the-hawaiian-monk-seal.html

M38 & Duke