Siblings, Wawamalu and Nohea

Wawamalu

I am so lucky to see Kaiwi, RK96’s pups Wawamalu, RK24, and Nohea, RM26 last week. They were sleeping together at the same cove. Before sunset Wawamalu was ready to go back to the ocean so he approached his little sister to go with him. But Nohea wanted to sleep more alone. He cannot give up but has no success changing her mind. I have not seen them for over two years during COVID time. You can imagine how I was happy to see them!!

Wawamalu, RK24/25 was born on April 23, 2018, is an almost 4 years old boy. Nohea, RM26/27 was born on April 6, 2020, is an almost 2 years old girl. Their mom is Kaiwi, RK96/97 who loves to spend time on Waikiki beach often.

Hawaiian Monk Seal is one of the most endangered marine animal species in the world and is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Only left about 1,400 seals currently. It is protected by Federal and Hawaii State laws.

Please give it plenty of space, suggested about 50 feet distance when it is resting on the beach.

Wawamalu

Nohea

Nohea

Nohea

Some of Monk Seal pups born in 2020 had their own ID tags!

In 2020, NOAA could not give Monk Seal ID Tags to that year born pups. But finally NOAA did tagging to 2020 and 2021 born pups except Manana Island born.

Nohea, PO2 was born on April 6, 2020 to Kaiwi, RK96 in Kaiwi Coast. She received as RM26/27.

Ikaika, PO4 was born on April 23, 2020 (the day Honey Girl died) to RL42 in Mokuleia. He received as RM30/31.

In the Year 2020, the firstborn was Kahukai (PO1) was born on February 21, 2020, on Manana (Rabbit) Island. Mother is Pua, RF34/35 (7 years old) who was disappeared right after weaned by her mama, Sadie, RB12/13 in 2014, and returned to her birthplace before giving birth to her own 1st pup.

Momona, PO3 was born on April 16, 2020 to Aukai, RL12 on Manana Island.

Makalanani, PO5 was born at the end of April 2020 to Sadie, RB12 on Manana Island.

These pups are still don’t have official ID Tags yet.

Waikiki Aquarium report -- Ho`ailona, KP2

Ho`a, KP2 Hawaiian Monk Seal

Waikīkī Aquarium will temporarily transfer 13-year-old male Hawaiian monk seal KP2 to the research program in California while the monk seal exhibit at the aquarium is updated and renovated.

KP2 previously spent several years at Long Marine Laboratory participating in cooperative research. His planned sabbatical will allow scientists to support ongoing studies of auditory biology and provide insight into how monk seal metabolism changes throughout development.

These studies support conservation efforts for wild monk seals by providing relevant biological data from non-releasable male monk seals trained to cooperate in scientific sampling. Such information is often difficult or impossible to gather from free-ranging seals. Measurements are obtained by animal care specialists without harm to seals, and research activities are monitored by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.

To further study the unique physiology and sensory biology of endangered Hawaiian monk seals, marine mammal scientists at the University of California Santa Cruz are partnering with Hawaiian zoological facilities Waikīkī Aquarium and Sea Life Park on Oʻahu. The aquarium is a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa research facility.

Specialized research programs and marine mammal facilities available at the University of California Santa Cruz’s Long Marine Laboratory have enabled several important studies to be completed with the species since 2009.

***This article from the University of Hawaii News, “Waikīkī Aquarium partnership supports monk seal conservation research” on September 1, 2021.

Good Luck with helping the research in California and see you in Fall 2022! I will miss you, Ho`a, KP2.

2021 newborn pup on Oahu

The spring is arrived, we have so far two newborn pups on Oahu. Yes, it is a little bit tuff this year because our sweet mamas, Honey Girl, R5AY and Pohaku, RO28 passed away in April 2020. They were regular mamas that giving a birth every year.

Honey Girl, R5AY and her last pup, Makoa, RL36 on June 17, 2019 by Kimo Smith

Makoa, RL36 was born on May 12, 2019, as the last pup of Honey Girl, R5AY. But unfortunately, Makoa was died by drawing by ghost nets on November 9, 2019. He was only 5 months old… Honey Girl died on April 23, 2020, we don’t know the cause of death.

Pohaku, RO28 and her last pup, Nanea, RL44.

Nanea was born on July 19, 2019 and died on September 24, 2019. She was only 2 months old. Possibly by humans. Pohaku died on April 1, 2020.

2021 newborn pup on Oahu

So far, we have two pups born in 2021.

Mohala, PO1 was born on March 20, 2021 on Rabbit Island (Manana Island) to Pua, RF34.

PO2 was born on April 26, 2021 in Kaimana Beach, Waikiki to Kaiwi, RK96. This pup is the 2nd pup born in Kaimana Beach. Usually, Monk Seal mothers don’t give a birth on humans busy beach.

But the beach is Kaiwi’s one of favorite beaches, she and her pup are doing well.

NOAA confirmed that PO2 is a boy.

PO2, Kaiwi, RK96’s 4th pup

New commer from Molokai in 2019

As you know, Oahu had three newborn pups in 2019. Unfortunately, we lost two of three pups in a very short time after they were born. Nanea, RL44/45 (Pohaku, RO28/29’s last pup) was 2 months old and Makoa, RL36/37 (Honey Girl, R5AY’s last pup) was 5 months old.

But somehow three newborn pups of Molokai born in 2019 decided to relocate their home to Oahu from Molokai.

RL70/71 was born on Molokai in 2019 and moved to Oahu in September 2019. She got a bleach mark as L14. She has unique white nails on her front flippers.

RL70/71 is relaxing on the rocks on December 5,2020

RL74/75 was born in Kaulapapa, Molokai in 2019 and moved to Oahu in November 2019. She got a bleach mark as N74

RL74/75 with Kaimana, RJ58/59 | December 9, 2019 by Joyce

RL98/99 was born in Monokai and moved to Oahu in November 2019 as well. She got a bleach mark as N34. Sorry, I don’t have a phone for her right now. I will add some photos when I met her.

All three girls found a new sweet home in Oahu. They are doing very well and keep doing their adventures!

Stay safe and be happy! Live a healthy long life, girls.

ID tags for newborn pups of 2020

This is M90/91 (N5) — she possibly was born in Molokai but NOAA could not verify it.

I hope everyone is doing well and stay safe during this unexpected pandemic.

For Hawaii State, we are not getting travelers since March 2020 because of the Hawaii State lockdown. Unfortunately, NOAA is not working on ID Tags for newborn pups of this year.

We had Five newborn pups who are doing well and getting more activities as weaner pups. But NOAA could not verify two pups’ (PO3 and PO5) mother because they were born on Rabbit Island, we just guess by the looks and records.

Kaiwi, RK96/97 and her pup, Nohea, N2: Nohea was verified as Kaiwi’s pup

1.    O`ahu:  Kahukai (Guardian of the sea) (PO1/N1) (pup 1 of Hawai`i) a boy, born February 21, 2020 (mother: Pua, RF34/35 born on April 3, 2014, and at 5 months old missing.  Grandmother is Sadie, RB12/13)   Pua weaned PO1 during the week of April 12, 2020.

2.    O`ahu: Nohea (Lovely) (PO2/N2), a girl, born April 6, 2020 (mother: Kaiwi, RK96/97 – her 3rd pup) at Allen Davis.  Kaiwi, RK96 weaned her on May 18 for 42 days

3.    O`ahu:  Momona (Abundance) (PO3/N3) a boy, born April 16, 2020(?) (mother: Aukai, RL12/13) at Rabbit Island

4.    O`ahu:  Ikaika (Strength) (PO4/N4), a boy, born April 23, 2020 (mother:  RL42/43 – her 2nd pup) at Mokuleia.  RL42 weaned him on June 2nd for 42 days

5.    O`ahu: Makanalani (Gift from Heaven) (PO5) a girl, born June 5, 2020 (mother: Sadie, RB12/13 – her 9th pup) at Rabbit Island, weaned

Stay safe pups and have a happy long life!

Summer is the breeding season for males of Hawaiian Monk Seal

It’s the part of the breeding season for Hawaiian Monk Seal males in which they establish their dominance.

Most of the joisting are verbal; there’s usually very little physical interaction or injury. It’s all posturing to ensure who gets to father the next monk seal pup in the population. The older male seal establishes his dominance and kicks out younger ones.

RK05, 17 years old and RN30, 7 years old by Kauai Seals

RK05, 17 years old and RN30, 7 years old by Kauai Seals

In this particular scenario, RK05 (17 years old) was cruising and periscoping as males do. He saw RN30 (7 years old) on the beach, hauled out, and, as they say, showed the youngster whose roar is louder. RN30 rolled belly up for a bit, and once things settled down, he departed, slinking around the rocks and periscoping himself, eventually leaving the old guy to himself.

If there is female with them, males are fighting over a girl. This is much aggressive so sometimes they injure or kill a female.

In this video, boys are Kekoa Ali`i, RK72 (9 years old), RG28 (5 years old from Kauai), and R3CX (6 years old). A female is Kala, RH76 (4 years old) What do you think about who got a girl?

Hawaiian Name for 2020 newborn pups on O`ahu

NOAA’s official name of individual Hawaiian Monk Seal is the ID Tag numbers where it has on the hind flippers. NOAA calls the seals by ID Tag numbers, such as RG40 Holokai, RJ58 Kaimana, RL36 Makoa, etc.

“R” represents of the Main Hawaiian Islands

2nd alphabets “G”, “J”, “L”, etc. represent of the seal’s birth year. For example, “G” is 2015, “J” is 2017, “L” is 2019, etc.

Two-digit numbers are individual seal’s personal number. The seal receives two sets of numbers for two flippers. So, RG40 Holokai has G40 and G41 on its flippers.

Holokai, RG40’s one of his flippers. G40 and G41

Usually, newborn pups receive their ID Tags at their health assessment right after the pup’s mother weaned her pup.

However, Oahu and the Island of Hawai`i are giving the Hawaiian Name alongside NOAA’s official name to the newborn pups every year.

So far, on O`ahu, there are five newborn pups in this year 2020. They received their own Hawaiian names.

PO1 — Kahukai: Guardian of the Sea

He was born on February 21st on Manana (Rabbit) Island to Pua, RF34 (born on April 3, 2014, to Sadie, RB12/13’s 2nd pup)

PO2 — Nohea: Lovely

She was born on April 6th on O`ahu coastline to Kaiwi, RK96/97 (born on August 11, 2011, to Irma, R010) Nohea has two siblings, Kawena, RH36/37 (born on June 15, 2016) and Wawamalu, RK24/25 (born on April 23, 2018)

Nohea is 3 months old female pup

PO3 — Momona: Abundance

He was born on April 16 on Manana (Rabbit) Island to Aukai, RL12/13 (possibly) (born on June 12, 2012, to M&M, R020) Unfortunately, NOAA could not verify the mother of PO3 yet, because of the pandemic’s Social Distancing rules.

PO4 — Ikaika: Strength

He was born on April 23rd on the North Shore beach to RL42/43 (born on July 24, 2012)

He has a big sister, Hinakokea (Hina), RK40/41 (born on May 5, 2018, as RL42’s 1st pup)

Photo by my friend, Joyce on May 31, 2020

PO5 — Makanalani: Gift of Heaven

The pup was born on June 5th on Manana (Rabbit) Island to Sadie, RB12/13 (possibly) (born on April 10, 2007, to Ewa Girl, RS00) Unfortunately, NOAA could not verify the mother and gender of PO5 yet, because of the pandemic’s Social Distancing rules.

Photo by HMAR

I am praying for all newborn pups’ safety in wildlife and human interactions. Be safe, strong, happy, and have a long life!

If you would like to learn more about Hawaiian Monk Seal please contact us!

Facebook: Learn Hawaiian Monk Seal

Phone and text: (808) 518-7642

Email: keiko@kittietravel.com

Mahalo for visiting our page!

Warmest Aloha,