A Tribute to Our Lost Ones

This past Saturday and Sunday, Dana organized with Kapu a blessing to spread the ashes of several of the seals we have lost.

On Saturday we said good bye to:

RHX3 - who was RW34's pup

RG06 - Cass

RK60 - Nani

All three of these seals were associated with Rabbit Island and of course our beloved DB. Marilyn brought some of DB's ashes so he could be with them as we released all of them into the ocean.

On Sunday we met up on the west side with the same Kapu who felt it was so

special to have started on the eastside and followed up on the westside. Her words, wisdom and stories were so touching and meaningful. 

We said goodbye to: 

RW22 Kolohe

RO18 

Both were known to frequent the west side.

Needless to say it was sad, but gathering together just shows the amount of love and care we all continue to share with this amazing species.

East Side

West Side

11/22/2021 Monday Monk Seal Dailies

 I open todays dailies with some very said news. We lost another beloved seal RW22 Kolohe.  Here is the official link to TMMC announcement. https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/news/endangered-hawaiian-monk-seal-dies-after-fighting-deadly-disease-in-care?fbclid=IwAR0J-IooF42TUYyfUE7jvMrUAWo3m3HNUIJ50QY71RxE91vr1M1-2FZd3hw

For so many of us Kolohe was a beginning, he was one of the first pups many of us sat with. He was relocated to Rabbit Island at an early age and managed to survive and return over the years. It was that year that several of us gathered and created the first volunteer non profit groups. It was also that year we lobbied and got the Hawaiian Monk Seal named the states official State Mammal. So many memories.

 I went through the blog from years gone by and was reduced to tears remembering all the seals we have lost over the years.  I know the MHI are doing well, and there needs to be improvements, but when it seems like a generation of seals are gone, it is extremely sad.  

Marilyn viewed Rabbit Island today from 12:55 to 2:35 and there was only one seal seen during her observation. Marilyn thinks it was the same recently molted adult male that has been on the island. He was in the same place as yesterday. 

Team R&B found their beloved Benny RE74, snoozing by the wall peacefully. They didn't want to leave him just wanting to stay close since the sad news about Kolohe broke today.  

Benny it 99% molted and his wound was visible today, unfortunately there was a lot of sand over it.

Then they headed over to tracks and found two seals snoozing and all was good. Kawika R407 is also 99% molted. We're going to have a few very handsome males swimming around in new coats. The other seal was RG28 Lefty.

AND then there was the dude who decided to perform some tricks for the seals.

They were watching a seal foraging off the outfall area and then it left. They arrived at the site to look at the area and if there were any clues. That was when RK72 Kekoa Alii came hauling up on the rocks. He is looking magnificent and green.

Next stop was to the bay when they spotted a guy going down to the seal that had just arrived. Thankfully the guy just picked up his belongings and left the area.  The seal was R3CX Nalu who hauled all the way up on the rocks. 

Over to the left was another seal snoozing peacefully. It was Kala RH76, she must have been there for a while since she was all dry.

Team R&B see another seal hauling out but he is tossing his head up in the air and having a hard time landing. Eventually he made it over to the rocks. They ID'd RL20 who is hooked on the left side of his mouth. Looks like a green rubber lure and lots of line trailing past his body, down the rocks in the water. They called it in.

Lastly they spotted a fat seal resting on shore with the shore break washing over her. That's when some lady decided to walk up to her and get her photos and talk to whoever was on the phone with her. Geesh really wish people would keep their distance. They were able to ID RL42 Leia.

Rabbit Island

Benny

Lefty

R407

Kekoa

R3CX

RH76 Kala

RL20 hooked

RL42

10/19/2021 (part 2) Tuesday Lesley's Ka'ena Update and A Little History Lesson

 

It was a very pleasant day in the park.

There were 5 sightings:

- R330 Squinty overnighted up high in the bushes and I didn't see him on my daybreak check. When I headed out, I saw a seal that I thought had hauled out, it turned out to be Squinty moving down the beach towards the water. He spent the day there and was still there at sunset

RW02 PVKauai and KG54 Huaka'i were on opposite sides of a beach sleeping. While we were there PVKauai woke up, entered the water and swam away. On our second check on Huaka'i she had left.

Found RO40 Ka'ena sleeping on some reefs in his green coat.

Later we saw from far a small young seal freshly hauling out on some reefs. It was RL98 Lina.

(A Little History Lesson)

Now some story from way back in 2008, pup season started: we had 2 pups born on the NorthShore and NO official volunteer group. We scrambled friends, friends of friends, their cousins and neighbors and managed to get the first volunteer group going HMSRTO. We watched over the pups day and sometimes night due to one of the locations. 

The pups were RW22 "Kolohe" (mom RK28 KC") and RW18 "Hoku" (mom R5AY Honey Girl). We had first picked Kolohe's nickname as Hoku. He was born on the Mokule'ia stretch and was our little shinny star. "Hoku" was born on the opposite side of Northshore on a beach that had access thru a private property. 

When the owners of the house were offered to nickname the pup they chose "Hoku". Phones went crazy. The Mokule'ia crew was totally cool in changing this pup's nickname to rascal according to his personality, so "Kolohe" it was.

We lost "Hoku" way to early. "Kolohe" did many disappearing acts over the years, did inter island trips but always came home. Two months ago, he spent the day here in front, I hadn't seen much of him because he chose the West side with Aunty Barbara but he came by every now and then. I sat on the beach and recapped time spent with him, long rainy days at the pup site, their translocation day as a pup, the excitement in calling DB to let him know everytime with sighted him. I used to live in Hawaii Kai and drove out here daily. Little did I know that I'd end up living out here !

Our "Kolohe" is a special seal, like they all are. Praying for him and the team that's taking care of him. He is in great and capable hands 

10/18/2021 Monday Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Lesley, Marilyn and Team R&B💕   Lesley's Ka'ena update is part two of the dailies.  

We also have an official update from NOAA regarding the status of RW22 Kolohe. Please click on the link to NOAA's website. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/pacific-islands/endangered-species-conservation/hawaiian-monk-seal-updates

When Team R&B arrived at the bay this morning there were lots of dolphins putting on a show. The UH Research boat was out too, hopefully they noticed the dolphin with a baggie on its dorsal. 

Team R&B watched three seals out foraging. There was Lei Ola RH28, R3CX Nalu and Aukai RL12. Nalu had landed later in the day.  Aukai had been out there for hours, shes quite the fisher. She did land later in the day, and had lots of adoring fans. The Lifeguards put out four cones and two old signs.

They found their fat green boy Kaale RH32 on shore at tracks. He was snoozing away, they did not see any sign of his molting as of yet.

At another west side location they found RN14 snoozing on the rocks.  Then they spotted RL42 Leia snoozing at a different spot. She was alone and enjoying the the warm sun.

Marilyn viewed Rabbit Island from 11:35 to 2:00 and there were a total of four seals on island today. Initially there were three seals on LPB. 

Way back next to the rock flats was an (USA), subadult size, newer coat, light belly, unsure of gender or tags.  Its a difficult location to photograph because of the waves and glare.

Further up on LPB were two other seals: (AM) adult size, older coat with some green around rear flippers, male belly and one tag. Nearby was a (SAM) subadult size, newer coat, two tags and light male belly.

At 1:21 Marilyn noticed a small seal had hauled out on RRB and this was the best part of the day. Marilyn determined this to be PO1/RP24 aka Mohala, whom she has not seen for a while now. RP24 is Pua's pup born on island on 3/20/21. RP24 was ID'd by her juvenile size, two tags and nb on her LFF. 

UH research boat

Lei Ola

Nalu R3CX

Aukai

Kaale

RL42

RN14

Rabbit Island

RP24