August 9, 2019 Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand and Lesley. Lesley's complete update is part two of the dailies.

Team Billand arrived at the pup site this morning and asked volunteer Karen she seen Mom and pup. No, not at birth beach.  So Team Billand went to check other beaches close by. They found Pohaku and Nanea on shore not too far away.  Pohaku woke up and entered the water and calls out to the pup. Nanea is in a deep sleep and doesn't respond. 
Pohaku swims right to left vocalizing to pup, and finally she wakes up and makes her way over to Mom near the waters edge.   Nanea enters the water and Mom sees her, they both leave going towards the left side.


Team Billand follow on foot along the coast trying to keep track of both of them, but it's not always easy when the Naupaka is high and you are short :-)
Mom and pup turn and head towards the channel, Barba called the volunteer to let them know they may be heading that way.
But Pohaku and Nanea had turned back to the shore and ended right back where they started and the pup got fed.
After a quick bite, both critters entered the water and head left again heading to a rocky area to explore.
They stayed for a while but the tide was slowly rising so they left the rocky area still heading towards the left. Team Billand notified the volunteers again.
Mom and pup land again in a small tidal pool which Nanea explored for a bit. The tide was getting to them gently rolling the pup, they were about a 100 feet from one of the barriers.

With the tide rising Pohaku takes Nanea to another location to feed, but the tide keeps rolling pup, so Mom takes her to another area and they manage a quick feed.
Nanea struggles to move to Mom at a tidal pool, Nanea keeps at it and manages to get up on the flat rocks to Mom.  They attempt another feed, but it's too rough. Mom and pup move to the right and Nanea gets tossed out to the ocean side. Pohaku got nervous began looking for Nanea, and then "pop" goes Nanea head up looking for Mom, they reunite.
They make it back to the beach but with the high tide there is no sand to land on. They head back to the channel and once again Team Billand inform the volunteers they maybe heading back to birth beach. 

If that wasn't enough excitement on the way back to birth beach Mom and pup get sucked into the rip current, pup going fast with mom, they turn, Mom heads to land on birth beach. Pup is stopped by her and Mom rests her chin on Nanea, they land. All is good and they are safe.

Communication and Team Work was in play today! Everyone was able to keep tabs on Mom and pup and work together. Cianna from NOAA was there and shared all the excitement.!
Pohaku worked hard and managed to keep her pup from getting swept out by the rip current. 
After a long, hot humid day filled with nail biting excitement, Team Billand called it a day.

Pohaku RO28 and Nanea PO5

Right behind you Momma

 I can do it... !

 Let's try this again