7/27/2018 Monk Seal Dailies: (part 1) RH32, RN14, RH48, RR70, RK96, RW22, RK24

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand, Lesley, Marilyn and in the yesterday's news department an update from Melody.

Yesterday's News:  Melody went to visit the "cousins" and spotted RK88 Puna who had just hauled out, according to Lesley & Tammy who were on site. Lesley & Tammy left for the point and Melody hung out with Puna. Mostly he was snoozing at the water's edge. While he was snoozing Melody walked around to see if Napua was in the tide pools, which she wasn't.  
Unfortunately while she was away from Puna he had moved up the sand to a stick. She then noticed something moving down the beach, another seal. The seal looked towards Puna, stayed on the beach for a bit and then left quickly heading north towards the point. Melody wasn't able to make an ID since she could not see a tag.  Melody later found out that the seal was R330 Squinty, that Lesley was able to ID by three makes on his left side, mid body from her photo.  Good Team Work !

Team Billand headed out early morning to check in at the outfall. Upon arrival Ka'ale RH32 was there foraging and doing his usual.  Well it wasn't long before one of the guys threw a line with live bait and Ka'ale went for it and got it. Team Billand rushed over to see and they saw him as he left Jetty, they could see the fish on his mouth with a hook.  Ka'ale was chomping on the fish and the hook was still exposed. Team Billand instructed the guy to reel it in, he was very hesitant, fearful that he would hurt the seal. They told him to reel it in or he would swallow the hook. . They then saw Kaale heading out still with the fish in his mouth. It was the last time they saw him in the morning. 
GOOD NEWS: Late afternoon they went back to the area and spotted Kaale resting, and there was no hook, no line and no sign of stress.  They left him to rest.   (hmmm talk about a heart stopper)

Mid morning Team Billand found RN14 Kalani at a Leeward Beach alone and sleeping. There was a gentleman picking limu, but in no ways was bothering Ka'ani. On their last check of the day the tide had risen and RN14 was gone. 

BUT, there was another seal and to their surprise it was Lei Ola RH48 was on the lower rocks, getting hit by waves and not caring. ( LOL she seems to like having the waves wash over her.) She is looking quite green and probably could molt sometime in the near future.

Team Billand did the Ka'ena West trek and they were watching people at the ponds, when a seal came into the area, looking above the rocks. It was RIP RR70 with his bleach number clearly visible. He did not land, whether it had to do with all the people at the ponds or if he was in cruise mode, either way he took off.

Marilyn stopped by Kaimana Beach on her way to a meeting this morning. She found RK96 Kaiwi on the beach immediately adjacent to the lifeguard stand. ( Marilyn commented she had no idea how the lifeguard was going to use his stand when he arrived for work). 

She estimated Kaiwi is about 70% through her molt. Her entire belly is molted but still has a lot of fur on her dorsal side. She looks to have put on good weight after weaning RK24 and looks healthy.  Volunteer Colleen was on site and gave Mrs. Whisperer and Rocky's Mom a chance to catch up.

On Marilyn's way home she stopped to check a few places and found an adult male at "eternity beach".  She left there and went to see RK24 at the pup site. RK24 was sleeping on the sand. He was in the same when she left a little before 8.
** Taking some old lessons from Mr. SealWhisperer, I checked instagram and seems the eternity beach seal was RW22, Kolohe and I also found that RK72 was spotted at Hanauma Bay. *** This information is unconfirmed in that I don't know who made the actual ID ***

 Ka'ale RH38 

 Resting comfortably in the afternoon. No hook no line

Kalani RN14

Lei Ola RH48

RR70 RIP

 He's out of there

Kaiwi RK96

 UU ( RW22 Kolohe) 

RK24