MonkSealMania.blogspot.com: 03/22/2020 Sunday Monk Seal Dailies

Sunday, March 22, 2020

03/22/2020 Sunday Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand and Marilyn. Before I get into the dailies, I want to acknowledge that this afternoon the Mayor of Honolulu issued "Stay-at-home" Orders for the Island of Oahu. All of this is being done to keep us safe from the spread of the COVID-19 virus, and to give our health workers the support they need by not over burdening the system. Having said that, I am not sure what these changes will be to monk seal sightings. I will do my best to update all of you as information is passed on. Who knows if there are no seal updates I may have to indulge and show off pictures of my pups.

Okay back to our regularly scheduled program: Team Billand arrived at the outfall before 7 am and spotted Kaale RH32 foraging. He made his way in and out of the outfall, at one point stealing himself a fish. They spotted him with a second seal in the outfall but they could not get an ID.
Later they found Kaale hauled out at a near by beach. He was on the rocks.

Then by the outfall they spot another seal foraging. They recognized his head scars and were able to ID Benny RE74.

At 10:40 Team Billand went to a west side location and found Kala RH76 and Kekoa RK72 on the rocks to the far right, combating the waves. They were there all day taking the punishment from the waves.
Kekoa made a few advances, but Kala flipped him off with her hind flippers. He just stayed with her the rest of the time. Be pretty cute if they had babies!

Marilyn observed Rabbit Island today from 12 til 2. There were 5 seals on Island today. Way our on the rock flats of LPB was an UU #1, juvenile size, with two tags, lighter belly.
On LPB were two seals, RG32 subadult/adult size and N11 applied bleach giving a positive ID. (we

love applied bleach marks).
UU #2, juvenile size, being blocked by RG32 so Marilyn never got site of tags or it's belly.

Down by Seal Rock Inlet RF34 Pua and PO1. For the first hour they were in a dip in the shoreline which made it difficult to see. They finally hauled out for a nursing session. The pup rolled over once and the belly appears to be getting a little lighter. There might be a natural bleach on the left front flipper. We have talked about this before I hope it's true which will make for an easy ID in the future.

Thief ! Thief ! RH32 Kaale