Sunday, March 15, 2020

0315/2020 Sunday Monk Seal Dailies

Today's Dailies are brought to you by Team Billand and Marilyn.

Marilyn viewed Rabbit Island for just over an hour in between rain showers. There were four seals on Island today.
About 50 feet right of the 1BS were two seals: Unknown juvenile male, juvenile size, mottled male belly with two tags. This "could" be RK24.  Then there was a subadult male, mottled male belly, possible cc scar and two tags. There was a brief interaction between them but they mostly stayed to themselves.

By seal rock inlet were RF34 Pua and PO1. There were on the waterfront rocks and not fully visible.  The pup did move away from Mom and played in the shallow tide pool.

Team Billand found Ka'ale RH32 at the outfall at 7:30 am. He was in full force this morning stealing from the fishermen, who have accepted him. They were calling out to each other to warn he's coming. 
Although this behavior is so bad, it has been 2 years in which Ka'ale has been raiding the outfall. With Team Billand and the NOAA team working with the fishermen the outreach has paid off. They do not see him as a threat, and actually find him helpful driving fish into the outfall. 
There was even a short little white dog watching Ka'ale in the outfall. Team Billand left at 9 am. 

Just before 11 am they went to check on the area again and found Ka'ale had hauled out at a nearby beach. He was out cold, sleeping on the rocks.

At 11 Team Billand arrived at a west side site and found little RL20 Kalua already up on left high
rocks alone.  While observing there was a man who came looking for limu not that far from Kalua. Little Kalua woks up and noticed the man but didn't do anything. Team Billand hung out to make sure all was good. 
Later afternoon they did a recheck and Kalua remained only this time there was a woman walking her dog close by. Then when she spotted Team Billand they moved back to higher ground. RL20 remains.

Late afternoon Team Billand headed over to plains and found Buster RV08. He was already in a nice zone set up by the lifeguards. Team Billand called the hotline and stayed until 5 pm.

 RF34 Pua and PO1
 J/M and U/M
Ka'ale RH32
 what's that?
 Kaale later sleeping off his feeding frenzy 
RL20 Kalua
 Buster RV08 

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