May 7, 2019 Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Lesley, Team Billand and BIG NEWS from Kauai.  Lesley's Ka'ena update is part 2 of the dailies.  

Here's the scoop from Kauai, sometime during the day Julia Honnet came across a little male with a N46. Not familiar with this little one, Julie contacted our pal Val who then got on the coconut network and lo and behold between Oahu, and two Kauai seal folks Kea was ID'd.  
This is his first known visit to Kauai and maybe that is why he is looking a little thin, but it's good to know the boy is out there exploring especially since Marilyn has kept her eye open for him on Rabbit Island.  Kea is Irma's last pup born in 2013, and he has those big beautiful bleach marks on his flippers.  THANK YOU Julie and Val, as our old friend would say YA done good.

Meantime back on Oahu Team Billand had been doing their usual checks. Earlier they went to check on RK88 Puna but he wasn't around. Having said that there was lots of seal poop, which shows he left a little gift behind before taking off.  
While looking for Puna Team Billand observed a pod of dolphins and recognized one of them they call Hook. 
Now on their third check of the area, they found Lei Ola RH48 already in the shallows resting. Team Billand waited to see if any other critters would show up but no one did. 
On their final check around 4 pm Lei Ola was still there resting with the waves surrounding her.

Since the seals aren't showing up Team Billand decided to do the do the Kaena West Trek.
Team Billand made it out to the 40 mark and just when they thought they had been skunked they spotted something moving. There was a fat seal on the rocks, quickly getting a photo and was able to ID RL42 Leia. It looked like she was turning to leave, but waiting she just went for a swim, turned and came back on the rocks. There clear as a bell on her left shoulder is an applied bleach, right side too but not so readable. Thanks NOAA... always makes life easier when they have their applied bleach.

AND in this evening's news warns to stay away from pregnant monk seal.... my response duh!
Interesting that this story is hitting the news, usually these things are kept quiet.

 Kea RN46 visiting on Kauai

Ikea no me Kea -  funky pattern on his coat

 RK88 poop trail 

Lei Ola RH48 

 RL42 Leia