A note to Volunteers

Dear Volunteers,

Our seal Ohana sufffered the loss of R018 yesterday at White Plains/Kalealoa Campgrounds.  We are saddened by this loss, as with any loss of one of our animals that we look after and care for.

The support we received, with the hotline calls and beachgoers was helpful in locating R018 quickly.  Barbara & Robert Billand were on the scene, and other beach goers were helpful in the retrieval of R018 from the water.  Barbara & Robert have known this seal for many years and handled the retrieval with great respect and love.

It is one of the worst situations a volunteer ever has to face and loss of life for one of these critters always hits us hard.  Beverly Rexrode was on the scene and stayed in touch with the hotline and coordinator as best she could with the bad phone service in that area.  The sad event was handled well and a quick response was achieved.

NOAA arrived with their team and the seal was taken for necropsy.  Those results will take some time to evaluate.  We all just have to be patient to hear what the cause of death may have been.

R018's origin and age are somewhat unknown.  We do know that he spent time on Kauai where he was identified as a sub-adult in 2005.  He frequented Oahu, Kauai and Niihau and was seen frolicking as recently as April with M&M and her buoy at White Plains.  He was an important participant with critter cam and satellite work during 2011 and supplied useful information for the scientists to disseminate with his many travels around the islands.

R018 will be missed by us all.  We all suffer this loss and hope that some of the new pups, on their way, will carry on his legacy.

Mahalo nui loa to all the volunteers that care and give so much.

Dana Jones, Heide Weber

Monk Seal Foundation

p.s. I apologize if my previous post caused any confusion my intend was to say R.I.P. RO18 - I know some people wondered if it was Rip (RR70)... I will be more careful next time - da blog lady