MonkSealMania.blogspot.com: August 24, 2019 Monk Seal Dailies

Saturday, August 24, 2019

August 24, 2019 Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand, Melody, Marilyn and Lesley. Lesley's Ka'ena update is part two of the dailies. (Marilyn was also with Lesley for the Ka'ena trek)

After Marilyn completed the Ka'ean trek this morning she went to Makai Pier to view Rabbit Island from 2:55 to 4:30.
When Marilyn first arrived there were three seals on Left Point Beach. Marilyn's best efforts to ID them are as follows ( from left to right ):

- RH36 Kawena - sub adult size, new coat, light female belly and two tags.
- UAF (unknown adult female) - mature adult female, 2 tags. old coat and possibly starting to molt. This "could" be RB12 Sadie returning to RI to do her post-weaning molt.
- RG32 - subadult male, 2 tags, male belly with a darker patch on chest area.

At about 3:40 Marilyn spotted a newly arrived juvenile male with two tags about 50 feet left of the 1BS. Marilyn doesn't believe this to be weaner RL47. It looks to be more like one of the yearlings in an older coat or covered in sand.

At 4:00 an adult male joined the group at LPB. Marilyn could not see tags but thinks this may RW22 Kolohe based on his male belly and the NB behind the RFF. RW22 first approached and had words with the UAF. Then he went over and had words with RG32. He reentered the water about 4:20 pm.
Soon after RH36 and RG32 entered the water and the unknown female remained on the beach alone.

Team Billand arrived at the pupping site at 5:40 am. They did not see any critters, but lots of footprints leading up to where Mom and Pup were. Volunteer Tammi was on site checking out the site.

They spot the seals coming from Twin Rocks, looks like Momma took the kid for a swim in the open ocean. (or at least seemed that way)
At 5:55 am a seal enters the area, and as quick as that happened a wake of waves were seen with lots of splashing and whoever the seal was took off and left the area.

Shortly after the encounter, Pohaku and Nanea hauled out for a nursing.

Around 7 am Team Billand got a call from a friend about a seal that hauled out at a nearby location. They left the area and when they arrived at the location they found little Miss RH92. The workers put out a makeshift barrier. Then Josh of the aloha team came to put up signs and ropes.
Little Miss RH92 looks green, nie girth and resting on shore. Team Billand called the hotline and when a volunteer arrived Team Billand headed back to the pupping site.

While Team Billand was away Da Benny arrived again and he got into it with Pohaku. Team Billand could see Benny in the channel, resting, then he came back. Mom and pup were at Nanea's cove and Benny headed over to them Pohaku wasn't having it and fought him off.

The dude doesn't give up. He left the channel and came back when Mom and pup were having a nursing session. He stayed quiet and moved to birth beach to sleep.

Meantime Pohaku and Pup were sleeping to the right of the cove onshore. Team Billand headed out about 11:20.

Earlier when Team Billand was observing Nanea, they noticed something on her mouth. Turns out to be something organic and most likely a sea cucumber explosion. Ahhh the process of growing up.

Team Billand made a stop about 4 pm at a west side location. There they spotted a seal on the rocks snoozing. A LARGE FAT GREEN male.... hmmm wonder who that could be? RH32 Ka'ale, he lept looking towards the ocean. Team Billand stuck around for a bit, but didn't see anything happening.
Ka'ale had NOT started his molt.... and there was a little crabby tugging at his whiskers. LOL

Melody arrived at pup site about 7 am. She covered pretty much what Team Billand reported.
When Team Billand left for lunch N14 Kalani arrived. Benny had been snoozing at birth beach when Kalani arrived. At first he wasn't aware of Mom and Pup and for sure not aware of Benny.

RN14 made a loop around and made his way to Pohaku. He was able to slither up on the sand without causing a disturbance until he poked Pohaku and woke up Momma Bear.
Melody included a video of some of the interaction so make sure you scroll to the bottom of the page. ALSO there are a couple of photos of Nanea with mouth wide open showing her teeth, and how her belly color is changing.

Kawena - UAF - RG32