September 17, 2019 Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand and Team T&D. 

I also got word from NOAA on two interesting tidbits!  First as we mentioned yesterday Right Spot R016 gave birth on Molokai. Well this pup makes her 12th pup, and it's also the 12th pup born this year on Molokai !!  ( I know this little tidbit would have thrilled DB, he loved this kind of information).

The other piece of interesting news, the U/F Lesley spotted yesterday was ID'd by NOAA. She is from Nihoa and this is her first sighting on the main Hawaiian islands. Her ID is R947. 

Team Billand were out before 6 am back at KoOlina for the 17th day. They found Miss Nalani RH92 at her Naupaka bush fast asleep. There were new signs up delivered yesterday by a volunteer.  The signs are good in that they explain the concern about keeping monk seals wild. There are also blue signs that are in Japanese.

Meanwhile someone had put a small zone up around RH92 Nalani. Team Billand made some adjustments so the signs wouldn't blow down with the winds. 
Nalani RH92 was alert today, kept looking at people, mostly the loud mouths and people who were talking directly to her.

Team Billand educated a lot of folks, actually they stopped counting at 100.  All I can say it's exhausting.
At 8:30 am Miss Nalani RH92 got restless when folks kept walking to her right by the big rocks. She took off and headed across the lagoon, but there were a lot of folks there, so RH92 went to the mid beach and people ran over to take photos. One gentleman heard them asking people to move and let the seal haul up from across the other end.  HE stepped up and helped them get people back. He apparently has seen Team Billand everyday for the last 17 days and decided to help out.  


Security came down with the rest of the signs and Barb was out of breath from running to get the signs from the zone. Together they put up a new zone, and RH92 Nalani final settled.  
Team Billand called the hotline again and let them know they were leaving and updated them that RH92 had moved, and a new zone was up.

Team Billand did their regular searches between 10 and 2 and found no one. So they called it a day on this very humid Tuesday.

Team T&D still on the Big Island did their morning check together and came up empty. After lunch Tammy headed out on her own and spotted a seal off in the distance.  When she got closer sure enough it was seal, and to her surprise there were two seals. There was Waimanu and Kaulana, so Tammy called them into the Big Island hotline. Soon after a volunteer arrived  and a bit later the woman who took the call on the hotline arrived. 
They all watched the two seals play, and needless to day it was a great to watch, as well as sharing the experience with people who have the same passion and appreciation. They spent about two hours and enjoying every minute.

 RH92 Nalani 

 Looks peaceful.... at the moment 

 and then there is this

RL50 Kaulana

RW34 Waimanu & RL50 Kaulana