7/22/2018 Monk Seal Daillies: (part 1) RN14, RH48, RR70, RG32, PO6, U/J, G40, RK80

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand, Marilyn, Melody and Lesley. Lesley's Ka'ena update is part 2 of the dailies.

Team Billand went out to the outfall all you can eat breakfast buffet. To their surprise they spent more time waiting for a critter to arrive. Finally one came in but quickly left. They got one good look at the seal and the photos confirmed it was RN14 Kalani. They never saw him again after he left. 

So off they went and made the Ka'ena West hike. They spotted Lei Ola who was to the right alone snoozing upside down with her tags showing. She was totally dry, clearly there for a bit. To the left of her was RR70 RIP alone sleeping and his bleach number visible. He showing two new "pukas" on his head.  No big deal and nothing to worry about.

On their way to Ka'ena West they noticed a pod of dolphins and three boats. The dolphins came in like 25 feet to get away from the boats.  One of the dolphins appears to have a large, fresh cookie cutter wound.

Marilyn went out to Makai Pier to view Rabbit Island for about two and a half hours today. She spotted three HMS on Rabbit Island.

The first critter was on the Left Point Beach. She believes it to be RG32 juvenile to sub-adult size, male belly, two tags and applied bleach "N" (something). Bleach number on the right shoulder and mid left side.

About 30 minutes later she got a partial view of a seal behind waterfront rocks beyond Seal Rock Inlet. It appeared to have a silver belly. Later the seal moved quickly into a channel in the SRI area. Marilyn is pretty sure she saw a natural bleach on the left side, which makes this critter a good candidate to me PO6. 

About an hour and a half later when some snorkelers were in the area fronting Left Point Beach, she spotted a juvenile with 2 red tags haul out and move up close to RG32. This critter is smaller than RG32 and much greener. The seal moved behind RG32 which made observations difficult, and unable to tell if the seal was a male of female.  

This evening Marilyn went to visit RK24 and he was mostly snoozing on the rocks. About 7:15 pm he headed out to the tide pool and was in a deep tide pool when she left. He is looking healthy and plump.

Melody and friend Kim were out on the North Shore today and went looking for some critters we haven't heard about in a while.  It's always a risk not knowing who or if you're going to find any critters, but they were lucky and found two. 
First critter they came across was G40 Holokai snoozing on the beach. Melody hadn't seen him in awhile so this already made the adventure worth it. He is looking healthy and resting peacefully. He

didn't move around much just spent the time snoozing at the waters edge.
While sitting there admiring this handsome seal, they spotted a head popping out and quickly swimming past. They decided to walk down the beach in the direction and sure enough they came across RK80/81, Honey Girl's little girl. She hauled out on a beach full of debris (a weaners playpen). She snoozed for a bit and then made her up the sand and went right for a pile of trash. First she played with a Gatorade bottle, then a funnel, a branch, and what ever else she could find.  Melody & Kim were concerned by the debris but could clearly see she was having the time of her life.
Both seals were called into the hotline, and a volunteer arrived to check on RK80, but Holokai was gone before they arrived.

RN14 Kalani

 RH48 Lei Ola

 RIP RR70

Dolphin Pod 

RG32

 RG32 & U/J

 PO6 

 RK24 Golden Boy

Holokai RG40

RK80/81 

 Always looks like their laughing.... silly little weaner