10/19/2022 Wednesday's Dailies

Todays dailies are brought to you by Melody, Team T&D, Marilyn and Team R&B💕

In yesterdays news Team T&D are on the Big Island. They are taking in the sites and managed to find a seal. Their first find during their vacation was Waimanu RW34.  She is a BIG girl, and no she is not pregnant just a very big girl. 

Marilyn viewed Rabbit Island from 2:05 to 3:05 and there was only two seals during her observations.

Between middle cliff and 3BS was an Unknown Juvenile U/J: juvenile size, newer coat, unsure about sex or tags.

On the Makapuu side of RRB there was an Unknown Subadult U/S: subadult size, newer coat, Marilyn

never saw the ventral side or the rear flippers.

Melody got a text from a friend on Tuesday evening that Rocky RH58 was hauled out on a westside beach. So at dawn she headed over and luckily Rocky was still there inside a SRA that had been set up. Melody confirmed Rocky's ID, and could see her NB on her LFF. Melody found a place to sit and spent the next three hours hanging out with Rocky. She is about 90% molted. She snoozed for a while and then started to make her way to the water. She laid in the shallows for a couple of hours, either to cool off or to wash away the hanging pieces of fur. 

When she was ready to leave it only took her a minute to turn over and swim out. She looks well and was foraging for breakfast on her way out.  She has put on weight since the last time Melody saw her, good to know she's healthy and doing good.

TeaM R&B had another slow day. They went to the bay and stayed waiting around. They watched the water around the area to see if they could see any critters out there. As they were walking out they heard "plop plop"   There was Kala RH76 up on the rocks. She is looking nice and healthy.

The only other seal they saw today was at the same site. They heard it on the rocks so they back tracked and found RL20 Kalua. He has started his molt and is at about 10%. He looks like a Ninja.

Kala was cute, like being a little tease with her sassy eyes. She kept getting closer to him, feeling comfortable that he wouldn't do anything in his condition. Smart Seal.

RW34 Waimanu 

Rabbit Island

Rocky RH58

RH76 Kala

RL20 Kalua

09/28/2021 Tuesday Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team T&D, Dana Jones, and Team R&B💕.  Dana from HMSPO, (Hawaiian Monk Seal Preservation Ohana) did a write up on KE18's return to Oahu, please see part two of the dailies.

Team T&D went to check the beaches first thing this morning. They're still getting some R&R on the Big Island which included four seals today.  They first saw RA20 in the same resting spot as yesterday.  Then they found Miss Waimanu RW34, who has to be one of the largest monk seals. No she is not pregnant just a big big girl. Dave thinks she's probably a good 800 pounds. (don't want her rolling over on your toes).  They also found R8HE who is almost done with her molt, looking pretty. Lastly there was RB00, who in my opinion is looking like a large marge. Team T&D didn't say anything about her size, but she's looking big.  We should note Team T&D has seen eight of the nine seals that reside there, one more to go.

Team R&B had a very late start today. During the afternoon they went to the bay and found RL20

Kalua. He was oceanside foraging and stealing fish.

At another west side spot they saw a little green seal snoozing in the rocks. They watched and studied and finally saw his tag and N4 applied bleach. There was little RM31 Kai once again managing on his own.

On their way to Ka'ena West they spotted a seal at yoks. On shore was Lefty RG28 snoozing peacefully on shore.

R8HE 

RA20

RB00 

RW34 

RL20 Kalua

RM31 Kai

Lefty RG28

01/04/2021 Monday Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand, Lesley, posse pal Paul H. and some Big Island news from Jason O.

I got a couple of text today, one was from a friend whose sister paddled out to the mokes this morning and saw a couple of young seals. Can not tell from the photo much other than one is a male and other unknown. They were both sound a sleep undisturbed and looking comfortable.

The other text was from our diver friend Paul H. who spotted a seal today on his way out. He was able to see the tag H37 that would make this bathing beauty RH36/37 Kawena.

Later today I received an email from photographer Jason O. who was on the

Big Island and got some pictures of W34 Waimanu.  Let's just say if we had a world record book for largest seal, I do believe she would be the one. SHE IS HUGE. Certainly much larger than any of our adults and possibly bigger than most pregnant females.

Team Billand headed west this morning and found a seal a sleep on shore. There was RL42 Leia snoozing high up shore by the naupaka bushes. The waves in the area were huge making hard to get a good look. They went around to view her, while watching a woman approached with her dog. Leina looked up and the lady picked up the dog and left. Team Billand thinks there is a fresh cookie bite on her right side.

From there Team Billand made a quick stop at the bay to check. They found Lei Ola RH48 and RN44 both foraging on the ocean side of the jetty.  When they returned in the afternoon Lei Ola was on the rocks snoozing and RN44 was sleeping to the left on the rocks.

At 2:00 pm at the bay Nalu R3Cx was on the right rocks, snoozing and in the company of some kids hanging out. Nalu left about an hour later.  RL20 Kalua was acroff from RN44 passed out on his back, looking quite comfortable. His fishing line was visible.

Team Billand had spotted a seal at tracks and called it into the hotline since it is a very busy beach.

They did head over to the area a little bit later and there was RH32 Ka'ale who was the seal they had seen hauling out earlier. but now he had company R407 Kawika. There were a couple signs in place and a volunteer on site. (whew !)  Then they noticed over by the restroom was RL12 Aukai alone on shore. She was snoozing peacefully and there were signs up around her too!  

Before Team Billand had gone over to tracks they had found RN14 Kalani at another location. He was snoozing on the rocks alone. 

J/M and U/J on the mokes

Kawena RH36/37

RW34 Waimanu Big Island

RL42 Leia

Lei Ola RH48 foraging

RN44 foraging

Lei Ola hauled out later in the day

RN44 hauled out

R3CX Nalu

RL20 Kalua

Kaale RH32

R407 Kawika

RL12 Aukai

RN14 Kalani