MonkSealMania.blogspot.com: May 3, 2019 Monk Seal Dailies

Friday, May 3, 2019

May 3, 2019 Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand. And hopefully some cute video from Wednesday this week.

Team Billand found Miss Pohaku RO28 just before 7 am. They received a call from a friend about a seal. Team Billand headed over and found a seal on shore looking quite fat.

Signs had been put up by the surfers ( way to go!) Team Billand made the zone just a little larger to make sure Pohaku had plenty of room to rest her rather large body. Team Billand called the hotline to inform them of Pohaku's location.

Next find for Team Billand was close 10 am. They were out at a westside location when the noticed a lady doing her dishes by the inlet. Then they noticed a seal came in looked about and was gone.
There were snorkelers in water and they lost site of the seal. They drove to another site and there they found RIP RR70 on the rocks trying to snooze. Unfortunately there were a bunch of people who were making noise, RIP was restless and took off again, passing the snorkelers. It seems the snorkelers were getting out of the water calling to the others to get on land NOW. Hmmmm maybe they thought the seal was dangerous. :-)

Then at noonish Team Billand arrived to a westside location and immediately spotted the beautiful

Lei Ola RH48 snoozing in the little water whole alone. They called NOAA and texted volunteer Karen. And just like that volunteer Tammy arrived. (not to be confused with Team T&D Tammy). Volunteer Tammy was tried to get an ID, and Team Billand gladly shared who it was.
Together they observed the seal, and looking closely, they did not see the line, nor the hook. Team Billand zoomed in several times and took some photos, and she could not see the line. Volunteer Tammy made the call, and they waited. Meanwhile Team Billand sent photos to Tracy showing (very happily) no hook or line.
Volunteer Karen arrived and with excitement she also agreed that Lei Ola was hook and line free. Lei Ola RH48 YA done good and got rid of your hook and line on your own!

While the good news was being shared, Team Billand spotted a second seal off shore foraging. The seal was doing 5 minutes dives just like yesterday. Barbara shared with Karen and Tammy that it was R366 and spent time how to ID a foraging seal. ( What to look for, timing the photo between waves. They tried their best to get the ID shots. Markers, cookie on left side of head, and left side. Large scar on right side by flipper and half cookie scare on under belly.

Team Billand gave up by 2 and volunteer Tammy stayed. Lei Ola remained but had galumphed out of the hole onto the lower rock. She is looking really great, no bling and no struggles to get up on the rocks.

LASTLY in yesterday's news (actually two day old news). RL12/13 Aukai was spotted on Mokulua Island with RJ30 Wailea (Nani's little 2017 female pup).
One of my dear posse friends Ka'iulani send some awesome video of the two interacting together. Aukai is looking huge and seems quite patient and playful with Wailea.
In addition I spoke with Ka'iulani yesterday, who informed me the two were out there again on Thursday and that NOAA had been out to check on them. Enjoy the clips.

Pohaku R028