3/28/2010 Ka'ena Point

The female with Ka'ena is the same animal from the Kenyon's trek last week. I said then, and I say now, its M&M. Last week Tracy wasn't able to go along with my ID, (some kinda' scientific proof blah,blah,blah. Proof........ we don't no proof here at the BNS. The double lines above her belly button and the small scar above her left front nipple say M&M to me

Ka'ena

M&M and Ka'ena

Request for Continued Testimony for Hawaiian Monk Seal Education

Hi All Seal Friends:

Please send testimony in to support SCR 151 – A Resolution to support a conservation PSA on commercial airlines. The PSA would be a short video highlighting our critically endangered monk seal and Hawaii's unique and special environment. The PSA would show how to act respectfully when visiting (ie stay 150 feet from seals) and highlight safety tips for ocean and hiking etiquette. This is a resolution that is came from the Bill that died earlier in the session.

The Save Our Seal Campaign has been steering 2 resolutions, as well as SB2441 to develop more initiatives to help the Hawaiian Monk Seal recovery and to do more public outreach regarding Hawaii’s 300+ endangered species. The airport kiosk resolution (SCR 152) is not moving to a Senate hearing. And the House resolutions are not moving.

The Joint Hearing for SCR 151 will be heard in the Committee on Energy and Environment & Committee on Tourism. Tuesday March 30, 2010 room #225

Chair Mike Gabbard- E& E

Chair Clarence Nishihara- Tourism

The following links are to SCR151 and the hearing notice:

http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2010/bills/SCR151_.htm

http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2010/hearingnotices/HEARING_ENE-TSM_03-30-10_.HTM

Mahalo for your support,

Kiana Kauwe

Outreach and Education Coordinator

Save Our Seal Campaign

kianakauwe@gamil.com

3/27/2010 DB Dailies

When I got my first look at Rabbit Island at 0648 I found Buster tucked into the base of the cliff, 30 ft left of 1BS. When I got back to Makai Pier at 0915, Buster was no longer there, but I found 3 swimming / playing animals in the shallows, ranging from 1BS to 2BS. At 0957 on a partial haul out , I was able to indentify one of them as Duke. Finally, at 1012 all three hauled out 50 ft left of 2BS, and I was able to identify Buster and Kolohe as the other two animals. On initial haul out Buster did some nuisance nuzzling on both Duke and Kolohe, but things quickly settled down, and all three remained there, close together for the rest of the day. The only action was moving up with the rising tide.

Colleen called at 0858 reporting an animal at Diamond Head. She confirmed the animal as Irma at 0932.

Team Billand called at 1342 to say that one of their posse had reported 2 animals at Nimitz Beach earlier in the day, one of which had something on it's back. When they did their SW quadrant check after the Whale Count, they found nobody , nowhere.

Duke, Buster and Kolohe

Irma hanging out at Rocky's stomping grounds... she heard there are some very cool people there.

3/26/2010 DB Dailies

After a 3 day stay at Irma's, my 0600 Irma's check showed that Irma had departed. When I did my Spitting Cave check at 0736 the Irma mystery was solved. Initially I found Buster for his 3rd consecutive day, still doing 10 minute dives at SC. At 0758, at a separate location up popped Irma. She was doing 12 minute dives. There was never any observed interaction.

Duke had Rabbit Island all to himself today. I first saw him at 0706 snoozin' up in the tall grass at the right end of the beach, where he has been for the last couple of days. At mid morning he moved down allowing the ID. He remained down near the water line the rest of the day.

Team Billand called at 0806 with the report of 2AW at Electric Beach (Kahe Power Plant), and again at 1343 to report R018 at Tracks. Next came the 1430 call reporting Benny at Kermit's Reef at 1430, on the west side of the Nimitz jetty. He seems to have picked up a new ventral wound, and lastly, Rocky between the east end fence and the LG stand at White Plains, at 1450. The girl musta' been takin' up alotta' beach !

Buster

Duke

Irma

3/26/2010

2AW

Benny

R018

Rocky

Bi-Annual Seal Count Poster - Oahu

Saturday, April 10, 201010AM White Plains Beach* special on beach training

Monday, April 12, 20106PM Haleiwa Coffee Gallery

Wednesday, April 14, 20106PM Kailua Sailboards Eco Lounge

Thursday, April 15, 20106PMWaikiki Aquarium

3/25/2010 DB Dailies

Irma was waiting for me at 0555, at Irma's for her 3rd consecutive day. I redid the rope and continued on. She has remained there all day. I picked up the rope at 1920. Irma was still there.

At 0700 I found Kolohe at the cliff, 30 ft left of 1BS, on Rabbit Island. He would move down to cool off at mid day, and remained there the rest of the day. When I got back to Makai Pier at 0840 I found that Duke was now up in the grass at the right end of the beach. He too moved down to cool off at mid day, and also remained there the rest of the day.

On my Spitting Cave check at 0724 I found Buster for the 2nd consecutive day, doing 10 minute dives.

Team Billand reported Benny at Nimitz Beach, fronting #1945 at 1130. They called again at 1136 to report Kermit at Kermit's Reef on the west side of the Nimitz jetty.

Duke

Buster

Irma

Benny

Kermit

3/24/2010 DB Dailies

At 0600 I found Irma waiting for me at Irma's,right where I'd left her last night. She had definitely overnighted. I redid the rope and continued on. She has remained there all day. I'll be rechecking her shortly. I picked up the rope at 1917. Irma was peacefully snoozin'.

As I was doing my Sandy Beach check at 0635 several of my SB posse stopped me to point out two animals swimming and playing in the shallows to the east of the Half Point rocks. They characterized them as a "mom and baby", but it was simply a large one with a smaller one. I observed them from 0635 until I lost them at 0651 when they moved outside at Full Point. Some of that observation was with the scope. I definitely identified Mojo by his natural bleach on the top left side of his head, but the smaller one was impossible to ID, though my guess was either Duke or Mikala. Since I never saw Duke's bleach, and later found him at RI, I could rule him out. My guess is still Mikala. I was hoping that they would make life easier by hauling out to Rabbit Island later but , of course, it couldn't be that easy. I saw neither one today. They were moving in an easterly direction. Maybe tomorrow ???

I found Duke snoozin' in the Morning Glory , 30 ft left of 1BS on Rabbit Island at 0709.

On my Spitting Cave check at 0749 I found Buster doing 6 to 8 minute dives, though one was 11 minutes.

 

I got back to Makai Pier at 0943 and Duke still had the place to himself. At 1002 I got a call from Rachel at Diamond Head. Colleen is off island so Rachel is in charge. She reported an animal to the right of the showers at DH, but was unsure of the ID. I decided to make the run and at 1044 confirmed that it was a very...very chunky Rocky.

I got back to Makai Pier at 1209 and found that Duke and moved over to the greenery to the right of 1BS, and that he was now in the company of Kolohe. They remained there together for the rest of the day, with no interaction.

Team Billand reported , off shore of Kermit's Reef, foraging at 0746, and confirmed his haul out to Kermit's Reef, on the west side of the Nimitz jetty at 0825.

Irma

Duke and Kolohe

Rocky

Kermit

Tune in and Listen

Aloha Good People;

OKAY LISTEN UP..... We recently recorded a public service announcement for our monk seals... this was done at the Olelo Studio in Honolulu, they were gracious enough to record and edit this for us... Also Steve Burton who put in endless time and effort on this project really came through for us, and last but not least a dear friend of mine who was able to read a large message in a very short period of time.

SOOOO our PSA will air on clear channel radio.... PLEASE listen up (there is not set time... could be day of night) so tune into any of the following channels on your am/fm radio.  
kssk-am/fm, kucd-fm (star 101.9), kiki-fm (hot 93.9), kdnn-fm (island 98.5), khvh-am & khbz-am
ALSO... please let me know if you hear it.... I would love to get feedback from you... but you have to listen its ONLY 30 seconds.  ~donna~

3/23/2010 DB Dailies

At 0657, on my 2nd look at Irma's , I found Irma newly arrived, 100 ft east of the Kealahou traffic light. I cordoned her off, and rechecked her throughout the day. She has remained all day. I'll be rechecking her shortly. I picked up the rope at 1930. Irma remains.

Rabbit Island had been certified Monk Seal free on my first check, however when I got back to Makai Pier at 0900, I found that Buster was snoozin' at the right end of the Middle Cliff area. He remained there all day.

At 0922 Duke hauled out at 1BS, and shortly thereafter RIP hauled out at 0930 to join him. RIP did some very brief nuisance nuzzling, and then both settled down for the day. Absolutely nothing else happened.

Tracy called at 1145 to advise that Todd White had reported an animal just Haleiwa side of the Leftover's surf spot (just before Waimea Bay). Tracy had see the shots on Todd's blog (northshoremonks.blogspot.com) and said it was KC. I've checked the shots, and I wholeheartedly concur. KC is lookin' pretty chunky. My dollar is on the 2nd week of June .

Team Billand called at 1022 to report Kermit at Nimitz Beach, fronting #1813.

White Plains lifeguards called at 1418 to report an animal just hauling out to the east end fence line. At 1500 Team Billand called to confirm that it was.............Benny !!!!! I had a mean feeling when he went into the water at Rabbit Island yesterday at 1107 that the kid was headed back to the SW quadrant. He's baaaaaack !!!!

The Billands responded to Makaha at 1803 in response to a Tracy call, and found R018 on the beach.

Buster

Irma

Benny

Kermit

R018

3/22/2010 DB Dailies

On my first look at Rabbit Island at 0642 I found Benny, once again, tucked into the base of the cliff, 30 ft left of 1BS, with Sadie and RIP in the Morning Glory directly in front of him.

When I got back to Makai Pier at 0945 the three 1BS animals had moved down to cool off. Benny would enter the water at 1107, and I did not see him again today. RIP and Sadie remained close together all day, with no observed interaction.

On a pan at 0945 I found that Duke was partially visible up in the grass at the right end of the beach. He would later move down to cool off, and remained there the rest of the day .

On a pan at 1112 I found that Kolohe and M38 had hauled out together to the water front rocks at the middle of the Middle Cliff area. They snoozed all day.

Team Billand called at 0912 with the report of 2AW and RI37 together at "Guard Rail Beach" in Maili. The next call came at 1016 with the report of Kermit at "Kermit's Reef" on the west side of the Nimitz jetty.

Duke

2AW and RI37

Kermit looking cute

3/21/2010 iKermit 3 Weeks of Data

What does a monk seal do in 3 weeks?  Kermits movements from March 2-21.

CL

Dr. Charles, how long will the iKermit run?  and any thoughts on who the next iSeal will be?

3/21/2010 DB Dailies

It was a bumper crop of critters at Rabbit Island today. At 0650, on my first look, I found M38 up in the Morning Glory, 80 ft left of 1BS. At 30 ft left of 1BS I found Benny tucked into the base of the cliff, and Kolohe directly in front of him in the Morning Glory. Approximately 150 ft to the right at Right Greenery (RG) I found Buster by himself. At the far right end of the beach I found Duke up in the grass . All would later move down independently, to cool off.

When I got back to Makai Pier at 0900 I found that RIP had hauled out to 30 ft left of IBS, and was down near the water line. Both Benny and Kolohe would move down separately to join him. There was brief, minimal interaction between Kolohe and RIP, mostly nuisance nuzzling by RIP.

The day was spent watching six pinnipeds snooze , until on a pan at 1334 I found that Sadie had hauled out to join Duke at the right end of the beach. Then it was back to watching seven pinnipeds snoozin'.

Team Billand called at 0756 with the report of RI37 at Maili.

Keith Kenyon expeditions made the Ka'ena Point trek today and brought back proof of Ka'ena and Kerby, and what I believe to be M&M. Hopefully, Tracy will agree once she sees the shots. My dollar is on M&M.

Kolohe, Benny and RIP

Kolohe and RIP

Buster

Duke and Sadie

RI37 looking pretty chunky