08/08/2020 ( part 2 ) Saturday Lesley's Ka'ena Update

 

After having the park packed for several weeks today it was quiet as a Monday morning, but there was still a lot of work to do.

First seals were overnighted RK40 Napua and RG40 Holokai at Lyman's West. Although they were very close to each other it doesn't seem by "reading" the trails that there was any interaction between them. Both spent the day there.

At Hidden Beach RW02 PVKauai was near the waterline all wet, freshly hauled out. When I checked again several hours later, he was no longer there.

At the point RL74 Kami and R330 Squinty were on the Runway, She on some reefs on the side and him stretched out across it.

On my way out I spotted a freshly hauled out RN04 Kainoa @ 10 Mns Beach.

Yesterday my camera had a tragic death in a saltwater puddle. Tammy didn't think twice to lent me her camera to do today's monitoring MAHALO !!!!

Be safe all 

07/13/2020 (part 2) Lesley's Ka'ena Update

A quick morning check and came back with 5 documented seals.

RN58 Luana & RG28 Lefty overnighted at Lyman's West Beach access. I looked further down the beach to do the CE checks and saw a little log at Lyman's East Beach access. It was PO4 Kai D82, it's the first time I see him venture this side.

I went to 10Mns to look for RK40 Napua but found little RL98 Lina instead. She's such a small seal.

On my way back at BB/Tables I met Kelcie she, I asked her who was the seal and she said RW02 PVKauai - I confirmed ID by tags. We chatted some and I told her where PO4 Kai was.   That's all for today, more tomorrow 

July 3rd & 4th - Lesley's Ka'ena Update

July 3rd:

Needless to say it was an extremely busy day.

I checked on RN58 Luana (D3 molt 10%) and RG28 Lefty a couple of times today. I caved in and put a sign up to make visitors aware that they were resting.

PO4 Kai D72 spread hi flippers and made it all the way to the small cove in the early morning. I took a sign down just as he was haulig out for a nap.

I did a really long one-on-one with a fishermen and family they were to be my/our eyes and ears to take care of Kai for the morning while I did the point side. 

When I came back hours later they greeted me gave me a full report of who did what, etc. Then they told he had left. From there I looked towards BB/Tables and saw a family pointing to the beach - ypu him or another seal was hauled out there. I thenked the family and tod them there would be more tomorrow for sure. They were very proud of their job.

I got to BB/Tables and found Kai sleeping peacefully on the sand among the rocks. If the high tide won't be to high he was good to be there thru the night.

For the 2nd day in the row I was skunked towards the point. 

More tomorrow

July 4th:

Happy 4th of July and yuhuuu it's nearly over...

Last night we had an issue with youngsters lighting fireworks, we went down to the beach to look for the 3 seal that had been there in the evening and they had all left.

My 4th of July started with 4 freshly hauled out seals on the our beach front. Last nights "fright" did some good to RN58 Luana after 12 days laying around here + 4/5 days molting, her molt went from 20% to +85% .

RG28 Lefty VERY green, RW02 PVKauai being a nuisance and further down RG40 Holokai !! Yesterday I thought about asking when he was last seen cause I hadn't heard from him in a while and this morning there he was.

PO4 Kai D73 has expanded his flippers and I found him past the small sand cove and right in front of the parking lot rolling in a tide pool. HRW02 PVKauai became the fishermen's mascot the 3 camps had something to tell me about him.

On my way back in the early afternoon he was hauled out @ BB/Tables among some rocks. 

The trio was still @ Lyman's but Holokai was no where to be seen.

At the point 2 seals where in the outer pool. On left and one came in the Main Pool: RK36 Kauai Kolohe. He stayed for a while and left back to the outer pool. The second seal swam around the outer reefs and hauled out over the rocks into the Main Pool: RO40 Ka'ena. 

I did not see them together again

On my way back a fisherman stopped me at 10Mnts to point out a small seal @ 5 Mnts: RL98 Lina.

Yesterday morning I got a txt from a neighbor saying "our little visitor N34 Lina is here in front" I was going to go by in the afternoon but never made it. So today I txted back "She's here today!"  More tomorrow 

06/16/2020 Tuesday Act-With-Care (84) Monk Seal Dailies

In today's monk seal news here are a couple of links with interesting stories and updates.  First is a link from the DLNR website referring to the recent incidents on Oahu. 
https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/blog/2020/06/16/nr20-087/

Next story is from Kim Steutermann Rogers Kauai Seals blog. Kim does a great job documenting the pup explosion so far this year. 
https://kauaiseals.wordpress.com/2020/06/15/monk-seal-monday-99-pupdate/

Back to today's sightings from Team Billand.
They were out first thing this morning and hit up the beach where one of the incidents were reported. They found two seals sleeping on shore and they called the hotline right away, given the recent events. They were able to ID Aukai RL12 and Ka'ale RH32.
Team Billand hung out and educated people, lots of people talking about the guy who approached the seal. After a bit they texted Melody who came out to help. The beach was crowded, after 3 hours Team Billand headed out to check other beaches and Melody stayed with Aukai and Ka'ale.  There was a man who brought signs so they put them up before they left.

At 11 am Team Billand found RL20 Kalua alone. He is still looking very green and no sign of molting.
While watching over RL20 they spotted a seal swimming by, made a turn, but decided to keep going. They were not able to get any ID, so it was reported as an UU.

Next stop they found two more critters on the rocks just resting. They ID'd RH48 Lei Ola and RF28 from Kauai. They were just resting peacefully together.

Team Billand headed off to Ka'ena West and on their way they spotted a seal on shore. There was RW02 PvKauai alone resting.  Once Team Billand left there were folks that went by to visit with him. There were lots of footprints around all over the sand.

Once they made it out to Ka'ena West their only find was RK36 "Kauai Kolohe" alone snoozing on the rocks. He was ID'd by tags and cookie scar on back.

I give Team Billand and all the others who continue to go out day after day looking out for the seals a lot of credit and a GIANT HUG.  Let it be known these are the people who are out there talking with the public and reporting the seals that are seen, seals that are in trouble and seals that need to watched over.  THANK YOU !!!!  for all that you do!

 Aukai RL12 and Kaale RH32

RL20 Kalua

 Look at that face

UU swim  by

 Lei Ola RH48 and RF28

 Lei Ola RH48

 RF28

RW02 PvKauai

RK36 Kauai Kolohe