05/25/2020 Monday Safe-At-Home (62) Monk Seal Dailies

Aloha Good People
I hope you are well and safe.  It certainly was an interesting weekend here on the islands, almost as people forgot what we been dealing with any kind of social distancing. Time will tell.

Team Billand went to visit with RL42 Leia and PO4. Mom and Pup were in snooze mode on shore by the left rocks. PO4 woke up and went into the shallows alone. He kept watch on Mom and would vocalize, finally getting her to wake up.  
Leia enters the water and they both slowly explore the area together, then moving further out. At one point Mom lost sight of pup and began barking a lot, then the kid came up they hugged and a good old fashion mom slap.

While they were swimming to mid beach, Team Billand noticed another seal coming in like a torpedo. It's a male, and didn't seem aware of Mom and pup in water. He landed mid beach, galumphed some and looked about. They didn't see any tags, or any identifiable markers, except a very subtle light bleach on right body, small line scar on neck right side.
UM entered the water bobbing up and down, and headed to the right. He came face to face with a boogie boarder who ran out of the water in record time. People gathered on shore with their cell phones, the UM never landed and kept on going.

After they had a long swim in the outer water they hauled out again for another feed.  They once again hauled out where the waves were hitting them. This frustrated PO4 and he let mom know. Despite the waves slamming into them and at one point pulled the pup away and he rolled in the surf, he persisted and made his way back to Mom to finish nursing.
He certainly is persistent and independent, all good survival skills.

HMSPO volunteer Diana S also went to visit Mom and Pup with her buddy Melody.  While there they observed RL42 Leia and PO4 Ikaika in the water when the unknown male swam along the shoreline looking for a spot. Leia immediately swam between the UM and pup. She and the UM had words and began to wrestle in the water. The UM tred to come ashore, but Leia barked at him and PO4 joined in with a few of his own barks. His instincts to protect himself and momma were spot on.

 RL42 Leia and PO4

 UM 

Leia fighting off UM