MonkSealMania.blogspot.com: August 6, 2019 Monk Seal Dailies

Tuesday, August 6, 2019

August 6, 2019 Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand, Lesley, and News from Rabbit Island. Lesley's Ka'ena update is part two of the dailies.

Team Billand arrived at the pupping site before 6 am where they found Pohaku and Nanea were on shore near the waters edge snoozing. Shortly after arriving they observed a feeding, then a swim to "Nanea's Cove" to explore. There were lots of fish in the area, Team Billand even saw them jumping and swears Nanea was chasing them. Nanea explored the little crevasse, sticking her head into the area and looking. Mom was right by her all times. Nanea played in the water falls off the waves that were coming in.

Mom and Pup made it to the sand when Pohaku suddenly made some kind of noise, Team Billand looked over and Mom was scurrying about to the pup, trying to get her to move. She entered the shallows with Nanea and kept looking to the right.
Sure enough a seal came in out of no where, at a slow pace, with its head just above the surface. The seal didn't do anything, just looking over to Pohaku, then as fast as it appeared the seal was gone. Team Billand never saw which direction it went or any clue of an ID. After looking at photos it's possible it might be RIP but reported as UU unknown/unknown.

Mom and Pup back on shore for another feed, followed by a nap. Team Billand left the site at 10:30 for a break to check other areas. They returned at the pupping site by 2 pm and found Pohaku and Nanea still snoozing on shore.

At 2:45 pm Pohaku darted out first into the water and Nanea followed close behind. Pup went a bit too far by the flat rocks and the waves were coming in. Pohaku suddenly stuck her head way above the water, went over to Nanea to get her away from the flat rocks. Both swam into the sandy shore.
Team Billand doesn't know what happened out by flat rocks, but it appeared Pohaku was protecting her pup at all times. When they got back on shore there was another feed and more snoozing.
Team Billand left at 4 pm closing out Day 18.

Big News of the day - PO4 (Sadies' pup) got his bling today. He is officially RL47 tags L47/46.
The NOAA team made their way out to Rabbit Island and were greeted by a line up. All in all there were five seals on the island. I was THRILLED to finally get some positive IDs and I had great hope they would bleach some of the critters.
As it turns out 2 seals were in the process of molting, not to mention they were in close proximity of each other.
The cast of characters on the island today were:
RG32 - sub-adult/almost adult size, greenish coat not molted (and HE is my U/M that shows up with the dark mark on his chest)

RH36 - Kawena is about 10% molted, she was located by the 3rd blue sign reef flats, I did see her through the scope but did not get a good picture of her. Although I do think she was on the left side of the island before the NOAA team arrived.
RK38 50% molted located by 3BS reef flats. She was on the island on my last visit the other day.
RK37 100% molted left point beach, she entered the water when the NOAA team arrived therefore could not be bleached. She did haul out again, but not in a good position to bleach.
AND of course our newly blinged boy RL47/L46 who took off right after his tagging.
It was a good day, Thank You NOAA Team!

Pohaku RO28 and Nanea PO5