By Mike Leidemann
Advertiser Staff Writer
Officials are hopeful that they can save a 2-day-old monk seal found abandoned in a remote part of Kaua'i's North Shore, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said yesterday.
The pup was flown to O'ahu yesterday on a Coast Guard C-130 and was being attended last night by a team of experts, NOAA said.
"We've never dealt with a seal this young before and are guardedly optimistic because dealing with a neonate (newborn) is tricky business," said Charles Littnan, head of the Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Project. "The animal will be stressed and susceptible to disease, so strict quarantine measures will be observed."
On Friday, a team was sent to Kaua'i to follow up on reports of an abandoned monk seal pup.
When they arrived, they found the pup alone on the beach, said Wende Goo, NOAA spokeswoman.
Shortly afterward a male and female joined the pup, but attempts to reintroduce the pup to the female were unsuccessful.
Instead, the female, who is believed to be the same one that abandoned a pup in the same location last year about the same time, exhibited aggressive behavior toward the pup, Goo said.
The recovery team then determined that the pup's only chance for survival would be in captive care on O'ahu.
Littnan pressed the quick response of many agencies involved in the rescue.
"NOAA Fisheries is fortunate to have partners like the Coast Guard, the Marine Mammal Center and DLNR supporting us as we could not do this without their help," he said.
Reach Mike Leidemann at mleidemann@honoluluadvertiser.com.
t̶̶h̶̶i̶̶s̶̶ ̶̶b̶̶l̶̶o̶̶g̶̶ ̶̶i̶̶s̶̶ ̶̶t̶̶e̶̶m̶̶p̶̶o̶̶r̶̶a̶̶r̶̶i̶̶l̶̶y̶̶
̶̶c̶̶l̶̶o̶̶s̶̶e̶̶d̶ This blog is now open again
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As of the date of the last post, the moderator of this blog has temporarily
moved off island and is no longer able to add to the updates of The North
Shore...
12 years ago
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Posted on: Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Scientists monitor baby seal's progress
Newborn maintaining its weight; chances of survival improving
By Suzanne Roig
Advertiser Staff Writer
Like nervous new parents, a team of scientists is monitoring everything that goes into and comes out of a fragile newborn monk seal abandoned at birth by its mother on Kaua'i.
They're watching over every feeding. Every breath. Every ounce of weight gained or lost.
It's the first time scientists and veterinarians have had a chance to care for such a young monk seal pup, one that hasn't been weaned by its mother. The biggest concern with the 32.5-pound, 4-day-old pup is its vulnerability to diseases.
"The fact that the mother abandoned her pup after a day is a cause for concern," said Charles Littnan, leader of the Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center. "It's rare for a monk seal to abandon her pup."
The crew is watching the mammal at the Kewalo NOAA facility near Ala Moana Beach Park, where it is being fed by a tube and allowed to swim in tanks with 6 inches of water for exercise and to do its business, said David Schofield, NOAA Fisheries Marine Mammal Stranding coordinator.
The seal pup was found Friday in a remote area of Kaua'i's North Shore after NOAA had been told that a pup seal had been abandoned. When the team arrived, the pup was alone on the beach, trying to suckle on a rock. A male and female monk seal joined the pup, but attempts to reintroduce the pup to the female were unsuccessful. Officials determined the female was the same one that abandoned a pup in the same location last year; the pup died.
On Friday, the female tried to bite the pup when scientists left them alone together. The team decided the only chance for the monk seal pup's survival was to fly it to O'ahu on a Coast Guard C-130 airplane.
"It's safe to say that if the pup had stayed in the area, it would surely have died," Schofield said.
Gregg Levine, a veterinarian assisting with the monk seal pup, at first gave him a 50 percent chance of surviving. But the pup has maintained his weight for two days and pooped yesterday morning, another good sign.
"We celebrated," Levine said. "That's a big milestone. We're giving him two to three 15-minute periods to swim around during the heat of the day. And we're giving him lots of time to sleep."
Monk seals were placed on the endangered species list in 1976 and are considered one of the most endangered species in the world. There are 80 to 100 monk seals on the main Hawaiian Islands.
There are an estimated 1,100 monk seals on the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. To be taken off the endangered species list, the population needs to increase to 2,900 and remain at that level for two decades.
Reach Suzanne Roig at sroig@honoluluadvertiser.com.
This is another article I found:
Abandoned Monk Seal Pup in Peril
Written by Stacy Loe - sloe@kgmb9.com
May 05, 2008 06:22 PM
The youngest monk seal pup ever rescued from the wild is being cared for by Hawaii marine experts on Oahu.
They are giving the newborn a 50 percent chance of survival.
He's vocal but still very weak. This baby monk seal, just 5 days old is being kept in quarantine because he is suseptible to infection.
"It's in really critical shape right now, this is a critical time because it doesn't have a strong immune system," said Charles Littnan, NOAA Fisheries, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center.
The pup was rescued on a remote Kauai beach after his mother abandoned him.
"It was really kind of sad. The first thing we saw was this little pup with its flipper's outstretched on a big wet rock trying to suckle because the mom was no where to be found," said David Schofield, NOAA Fisheries, Pacific Islands Regional Office.
When the mother returned experts tried to reunite the two.
"At first when we put them together they touched nose to nose and we were hoping there would be that bond there. But then the mother started biting the pup on the head," Schofield said.
Scientists grabbed him and the pup was flown to Oahu, where he's now being cared for around the clock at the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration facility in Kewalo.
At first, he was dehydrated and very hungry. The first day, they just gave him water. On Sunday, they moved to formula.
"We are doing dilute batches of formula and kind of slowly increasing the strength until we can get more calories. The pup weighs about 32 1/2 pounds, he's about 3 1/2 almost 4 feet long," said Dr. Gregg Levine, NOAA Veteranarian.
But there's a long way to go before the pup is out of the woods.
"Taking an animal this young, if we are successful is going to teach us an incredible amount about how to care and nurture for these animals and make sure they are able to survive," said Littnan.
Hawaiian monk seals are endangered. There are only about 1200 alive today. Scientists are hoping to add one more.
Less than 1 in 5 reach adulthood.
Experts don't know yet when this pup will be out of danger. They are taking it one step at a time. We'll keep you posted.
Last Updated ( May 07, 2008 07:48 PM )
Abandoned Monk Seal Pup in Peril
Written by Stacy Loe - sloe@kgmb9.com
May 05, 2008 06:22 PM
The youngest monk seal pup ever rescued from the wild is being cared for by Hawaii marine experts on Oahu.
They are giving the newborn a 50 percent chance of survival.
He's vocal but still very weak. This baby monk seal, just 5 days old is being kept in quarantine because he is suseptible to infection.
"It's in really critical shape right now, this is a critical time because it doesn't have a strong immune system," said Charles Littnan, NOAA Fisheries, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center.
The pup was rescued on a remote Kauai beach after his mother abandoned him.
"It was really kind of sad. The first thing we saw was this little pup with its flipper's outstretched on a big wet rock trying to suckle because the mom was no where to be found," said David Schofield, NOAA Fisheries, Pacific Islands Regional Office.
When the mother returned experts tried to reunite the two.
"At first when we put them together they touched nose to nose and we were hoping there would be that bond there. But then the mother started biting the pup on the head," Schofield said.
Scientists grabbed him and the pup was flown to Oahu, where he's now being cared for around the clock at the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration facility in Kewalo.
At first, he was dehydrated and very hungry. The first day, they just gave him water. On Sunday, they moved to formula.
"We are doing dilute batches of formula and kind of slowly increasing the strength until we can get more calories. The pup weighs about 32 1/2 pounds, he's about 3 1/2 almost 4 feet long," said Dr. Gregg Levine, NOAA Veteranarian.
But there's a long way to go before the pup is out of the woods.
"Taking an animal this young, if we are successful is going to teach us an incredible amount about how to care and nurture for these animals and make sure they are able to survive," said Littnan.
Hawaiian monk seals are endangered. There are only about 1200 alive today. Scientists are hoping to add one more.
Less than 1 in 5 reach adulthood.
Experts don't know yet when this pup will be out of danger. They are taking it one step at a time. We'll keep you posted.
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