Update notice from DB 10/20/08

Howzit Todd, I was just checking your site, and saw the KC shots. I'd heard from Tracy that she had been there on Saturday. I don't have a specific date but obviously the girl has molted since I saw her last. She should have molted around mid August, according to when she weaned Kolohe. The bleaches come off with the old coat , so Tracy will have to do her again . Thanks for being on it.

You probably heard, but just in case. Kerby (RW08) the pup that had been born at Rabbit Island and is a couple of weeks older than Kolohe is, and Hoku was. All 3 of the weaners started traveling, and since Kolohe and Hoku had transmitters, we knew that Kolohe has been hanging out off Mokapu Peninsular (Kaneohe), and has been seen on Moku Manu. Hoku had traveled as far as the Mokes, off shore of Lanikai, and was known to cruise the shallow waters off Kaiona Beach Park in Waimanalo , which is what got him killed. Kerby , since he didn't have a transmitter, just dropped off the radar, and had been MIA for 8 weeks............until Saturday . The Billands who were doing the seal count at Ka'ena Point reported and documented Kerby out there. He was also there on Sunday. That is absolutely amazing. A 5 month old kid does not go to the end of the world. It is my opinion that he traveled out there with Benny , a 6 year old, who had been at Rabbit Island at the time Kerby disappeared. Benny makes the RI to KP run routinely. Anyway, thats the latest. Both Kolohe and Kerby are alive and well. Aloha, DB

KC at Crozier 10/18/08

Notice the two cookie cutter shark bites on her shoulders? These marks identify her as KC.


I could not find the N-14 bleach stain on her back by her flippers. This mark must have worn off, or I just didn't get a good view of them. But I did look for them.

Honey Girls baby found dead Oct 5, 2008

Initial (first) report:
Unfortunately, I am writing with some bad news. David Schofield called this morning to say that DB Dunlap found a deceased monk seal in Waimanalo and it has been confirmed to be Hoku (RW18). This is PO2 from the Northshore Crawford pupping site, son of R5AY (Honeygirl). He was formerly identified as Hana in this forum and was the pup that a crew of which my wife and I were a part of the team that monitored him from birth to transport.

I don't really have any more details to share other than that they have retreived the animal and are scheduled for a necropsy later this afternoon. I will keep you updated as soon as I hear more.

Update this evening:
For those of you who are unaware, a dead male monk seal was found on the beach in Waimanalo this morning. He was confirmed to be Hoku (RW18). This is PO2 from the Northshore Crawford pupping site, son of R5AY (Honeygirl). Hoku's necropsy was this afternoon but unfortunately he had passed 24-48 hours prior so there was not any conclusive information to determine the cause of death. Tissue samples have been collected and further research will be conducted. We may never know exactly what happened.

Puena Point Oct 03, 2008

Tag number reads O30 which is actually RO-030. Her name is Rosie. She was born in April on Kalaupapa on Molokai. She was last seen on Kauai last Friday Sept 26, so she really likes to travel and get around. She was photographed here fronting the Haleiwa Surf Condos back in May 4, 2008. Curser back on this site and see the same pup a few pages back and 5 months younger.



Here's O30 from a distance!

She's just a baby. 2 years on April 2006



She was suppose to have a hook in her mouth, so I went back to take some better close up shots. Nope. . . Unless it's on the bottom of her lip, I couldn't see one.













Then two days later she shows up on Oct 5, same beach but further towards the point. She Looked very thin and not good at all. These first few pictures is what we saw before we decided to panic. Mind you, we've seen all kinds of monks, we know that they come up on shore to sleep during the daytime hours. But you tell me from these pictures if Rosie looks healthy and alive!






Since we thought Rosie was sick or even dead, we decided to call in NOAA Vets Bob, here as seen on the left and Greg on the right. It seemed peculiar to all of us that Rosie would be sleeping in a tide pool with her belly up in the air like she was. This is a very vulnerable position for a wild animal on the shoreline.







Only after NOAA Vets show up she lifts her head up and asks, "What's up?"


She scratches her nose, then goes back to sleep.