12/3/2017 Monk Seal Dailies: (Part 2) Lesley's Ka'ena Point Update

Yesterday (12/02/17) Jaime R was out at Ka’ena Pt and reported 6 seals. Several back and forth Txt, 5 seals were IDed.

RR70 “Rip” by his R76 tag,  RO40 “Ka’ena” by his molt and N9 bleach, RCU by his 3CV tag, R353 by her lip scar and scarline on chest (she now has a fresh CC wound), TV76 by her V76 bleach, and a U/M not tagged (this one was probably R330 “Squinty”).

TV76 is an adult female that was first seen at Bennecke’s Beach on Kauai in Apr2017. She was bleached V76 and now is known as TV76 (T for Temp and V76 for her bleach). This seems to be the first time she was documented on Oahu.

Great job Jaime !!

This morning Marilyn & I hiked out to the point. On Back Beach we found a cast of 4 seals: RR70 “Rip”, RO40 “Ka’ena” (molt is aprox 30%), R353 (fresh CC wound) & R330 “Squinty”.

We did some outreach then went and check Waianae side of gated area. On our way back “Rip” & “Ka’ena” were near the waterline and “Squinty” had left. R353 (F) was still in the same place.

We headed back and as we were up at Birth Beach lookout we saw a seal down at CE Pt. Being blasted by the sand was RW02 “PVKauai”. He may have been there in the morning by the trail he left all the way up to behind the Naupaka bushes.

Out at the point the Albatross are already in full nesting mode. We saw a nest with 2 big eggs in it !!! It was a beautiful sunny and very windy day.

 Albatross Eggs

 Squinty 

 RIP & Ka'ena

 Rip & Squinty

 R353

 new cc wound

 The gangs all here