MonkSealMania.blogspot.com: March 2020

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

3/31/2020 Stay At Home (8) Tuesday Monk Seal Dailies

Aloha Good People

Not much to report today, although I did have an opportunity to talk with a couple of seal posse pals that I haven't spoken to in quite some time. At the end of the day, I realized how significant so many people in the monk seal community are to me and my life.
Yes we share a very passionate common goal looking after the seals, but honestly after years of knowing each other, celebrating the triumphs, and mourning the losses together, we have an incredible bond. I can not express in words how truly honored I am and how deeply I care about them.

This prompted me to look back on the blog. I pulled up this day back in 2008. Interestly this was a day that I met Irma. She was hanging out in Waikiki, pretty much were Kaiwi hangs out now.
http://monksealmania.blogspot.com/2008/04/afternoon-with-irma.html
As I read through the post I realized that Chester had died that week just days before. I went back and read DB's announcement of his death, and remembered all the news coverage that followed.
What many of you may not know is Chester was the first celebrity seal.
http://monksealmania.blogspot.com/2008/03/db-post-wednesday-march-26th.html
http://monksealmania.blogspot.com/2008/03/i-didnt-know.html

I looked back a little further and on March 24th, was the first time I ever met Robert and Barbara in person. We were all at the state house giving testimony to have the Hawaiian monk seal be named Hawaii's State Mammal.
http://monksealmania.blogspot.com/2008/03/meet-billands.html
These were times when we all pulled together and got things done. We were grass roots, many of us had never done anything like this before but we did it, and did it well if I say so myself!

I hope you are all doing well and staying safe.

Monday, March 30, 2020

03/30/2020 Stay At Home (7) Monday Monk Seal Dailies

Well I don't know about you, but some photos of seals will make me feel better. Also I want to mention over the weekend I spotted a couple of photos of seal at MCBH, actually at one point there were two. I called my sources, but no one could get a positive ID.
Based on the description on the post the person thinks the larger seal is a female and going to have a baby any day. My "guess" and conversations with my sources it's most likely KC (PK28) hanging out, and yes she may be pregnant, she would not be due until summer. Just in case anyone is on base pass it on.

ka'ale RH32

wow! he be fat

Kekoa

Kekoa RK72 & RW02 PvKauai

R407 Kawika Adult Male first seen on Kauai

Lefty RG28

Ka'ale awake looking for trouble

PvKauai Look out here he comes

Sunday, March 29, 2020

03/29/2020 Stay At Home (6) Sunday Monk Seal Dailies

Day six of stay at home and I hope you are all doing well. Here in Hawaii we are up to 175 known COVID-19 cases and thankfully still zero deaths. But as the numbers grow it becomes more unsettling. I don't think we are doing everything we can, especially being on an Island we can actually isolate this.
This video was sent to me this morning by someone I know and respect. I hope you will find it informative.

Saturday, March 28, 2020

03/38/2020 Stay At Home (5) Saturday Monk Seal Dailies

Okay we're only at Day 5, and I am sure many of you like me are feeling a little stir crazy. But we are doing this to protect our fragile Island and residents of a massive outbreak.
I went out for groceries today, actually the cat needed food, which usually dictates my run to the grocer. I was surprised to see so many people out and about, but what I did notice NO ONE was staying in place. People were out doing their business and moving on. There were people running and lots of dog walkers but everyone was on the move keeping their distance.

Aside from worrying about social distancing the Island of Kauai and Oahu have been under flash flood watch. Kauai got hit last evening, and I hope all our friends are safe. These are trying times.

For today I'm just going to post photos of our beloved seals taken here and there. I hope it brings some smiles.

This is not social distancing. Someone needs to talk to these boys

Ka'ale RH32

Kalani RN14

Ka'ena

Kawena

RL20 Kalua

Friday, March 27, 2020

03/27/2020 Stay At Home (4) Friday Monk Seal Dailies

Thursday, March 26, 2020

03/26/2020 Stay at Home (3) Thursday Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies include a mix of old and new and some information for you!

Barb sent me to an old link to the blog dating back to April 5th 2012. I pulled two photos from that day, one of Pohaku and one of RB00. They look so young, well we all were 8 years ago.

Along the road today, on the west side there were a couple sighting, only able to make a quick stop then off to an appointment. Not to mention the dolphins enjoying the waters without the tour boats!

I am posting a couple of links that have been in the news lately and never got the chance to post here.

Monk Seal population shows signs of recovery.
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/hawaiian-monk-seal-population-saw-signs-recovery-2019

RA20 released back into the wild
https://www.westhawaiitoday.com/2020/03/19/hawaii-news/hawaiian-monk-seal-ra20-released-from-hospital/

Pohaku chronicles #3
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/podcast/line/pohaku-chronicles-podcast-3

Pohaku back in April 2011

RB00 - Check out the heart shaped natural bleach April 2011

Kala RH76

Kawena

Kekoa

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

03/25/2020 Wednesday Stay at Home (2) Monk Seal Dailies

Today's attempt at the dailies include a number of seal photos of seals that may have been seen somewhere on Oahu by some people. That's all I'm going to say.

Trio Kawena RH36, RG28 Lefty and RL20 Kalua