1/22/2018 Monk Seal Dailies:

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand, Gayle and photographer Melody.

Gayle spotted two critters on Rabbit Island, no details, no identification, just two critters snoozing.

Team Billand checked in at Plains from 7 am to 8:30 waiting for Buster to show up. They gave up and went to find other seals and grab a bite to eat. Of course they no sooner had lunch when a call came to them of a seal hauling out, so they turned around and headed back to Plains. When they arrived there was already zone, signs up and people taking photos of the lovely Miss Pohaku RO28.
She had just come in so she was still shiny and wet. The hotline was called and Team Billand left.

Next stop to a Leeward Beach Team Billand found RH32 Kaale on the rocks alone showing off his belly so clean and white. They left him as to not draw any attention.

At another beach on the Leeward side they came across Kekoa Alii RK72, spotted him way in the side of rocks with another seal. There was big surf today so the seals kept way up on the rocks barely visible.

They saw Rip off shore, coming in with the big surf. He hauled up, was having a hard time with the waves crashing in on him, but he kept going higher up. He was ID'd by ding on back and tags.
They found RN14 Kalani already up on lower rocks in a deep snooze. He was nice and dry showing off a nice brown coat. 
Last critter they came across was settled in hidden away in the upper rocks, but was easy to ID his natural cue ball RW22 Kolohe.  On their afternoon check all were still in the same spots tucked away.


Email from Melody sent update from her day. At 10:30 am a monk seal came to Paradise Cove struggling to get through some of the humans that gathered around him in the water. The critter finally made it up onto the beach. Flipper tag E42 Benny (new tag but still referred to as RE74). The hotline was called. Melody stayed and waited for volunteer to arrive. She set up a SRA, once established people were respectful of the area. The volunteer arrived about 11:30. 

On her way home she went past White Plains and saw Pohaku. She called the hotline and had been informed Team Billand had been on site. Melody stayed and was able to answer lots of questions from the beach-goers. Lots of education and outreach, (good job) no volunteer was on site while she was there. Thank you Melody.

Pohaku RO28

 Ka'ale RH32

 Kekoa

RIP

 Kalani RN14

 Kolohe RW22

Photos from Melody Benny 

 Pohaku