08/20/2021 Friday Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Marilyn, Lesley, Melody and Team R&B💕.  What a deifference a day makes.  As promised we have Lesley's Ka'ena report from Thursday, please see part two of the dailies.  

Marilyn viewed Rabbit Island from 12 to 2 this afternoon and had a total of four seals.

Initially there were three seals when she first viewed the island.

AM#1; adult size, older brown coat, yellowish brown male belly with some green and two tags.

AM#2; adult size, dark coat, dark male belly and a tag only on RFF. Initially Marilyn thought this was larger than AM#1 but later she decided they were both adult size.

JF; juvenile to subadult size, new coat, light female belly and two tags. 

About 12:20, weaner P04 Manana hauled out about 30 feet Lanikai side of the 1BS. She was ID'd by weaner size and shape, light female belly, one tag on her RRF and no nbs on her front flippers. She moved up and down the beach several times.

Team R&B started their morning at the bay early morning and initially didn't see any seal, but did witness some big fish coming in.  A young man with a broken real somehow caught a huge Ulua. He had to put up a fight but everyone at the pier was cheering him on.  Then Team R&B saw another fisher snagged a turtle. The fisher brought him in and clipped the hook, untangled it and set it free.

Finally at 7:45 they spotted a seal who took a fish from a kayaker who was fishing. Well it was good ole' butthead Kaale RH32. They saw his bleach number and tags.  Ka'ale was seen later in the day same place still stealing fish and foraging. 

Team R&B were going to check the west side when they received a text from Melody of a very green

seal on the rocks. They hurried over and sure enough there was RL20 Kalua, relaxed and spending a lot of time scratching himself.  There were no hooks or lines seen. Fingers crossed he'll begin his molt soon. There "may be" signs of tiny spots but time will tell.

Melody was with Team R&B watching over RL20 Kalua. They had stayed out for a while hoping more seals would show up but none came. So they spent their time talking seal story.  As  Melody was driving home she received a message from Team R&B that a seal had hauled out on another westside beach. Since it was on her way home she stopped by to check it out.

When she arrived about noontime the lifeguards already set up a SRA.  

The tide was rising fast so Melody pulled the signs that were in the water.  She was able to move the zone up so the seal had more space to move up. She was able to ID the seal as RW22 Kolohe.  As he got wet and kept moving up and the signs had to be moved with him. There were lots of people out there today. Melody did call the hotline and hoped someone would show up.  Melody stayed until 5 pm and no volunteer had arrived.  Melody was reluctant to leave since there were still so many people still on the beach, but before she left she called the hotline again to update them and let them know the beach was packed with people.

Rabbit Island

Kaale RH32

Tangled turtle rescue

RL20 Kalua

Kolohe RW22