N-12 at Hauula 4-23-9

Brief note: Somebody to called in to the MHL = Monk Hot Line and said that there was a Monk located somewhere in Hauula. The address was uncertain, but she did say that the Monk was identified as N-12. The closest Monk I know about with a name similar is R012 nick named Kermit, but Kermit only is known to hang around the South shore from White Planes (Ewa Beach) to Diamond Head. So I don't know where this caller got her information from.

Because of the time it would have taken me to get there and how extremely busy I was at the time, I didn't get a chance to go view the Monk myself. Hopefully someone did and will E the pictures to me. This is all the information I have on the Monk.

UPDATE FROM JEN NOAA MONK REP: Just wanted to let you know that the seal seen in Hauula yesterday was 2AW. He received the bleach mark N12 from Tracy back in March on the 31st. The search is still on for Kermit :-(

Then DB chimes in with his report: I just saw the blog (1739), and Jenn is correct . That was 2AW (male) at Hauula today. I also got word that R5AY was at Punaluu today. DB

Right Spot surfaces at Rocky Point 4-21-09

Here she is, Right spot, just came up according to the caller at about 2:30 this afternoon.

This weeks NOAA / HMSTRO report 4/18/09

This weekend was a big weekend for the monk seal response network. Attached are some images. Here is what we had:

1. State wide monk seal count occurred (the numbers are still coming in so it may be higher)
Kauai -16
Oahu - 7
Molokai - 11
Kahoolawe - 1
Maui - 0
Lanai - 0
Big Island - 0

For this 5th count the total was 35 animals which is right on par with the other 4 counts. We know we have certain seals in certain areas of the 3 islands that did not count any seals but they failed to show themselves in the allotted time frame.

2. HMSRTO volunteers were set up at the MCBH Earth Day from 9-2 on Saturday to highlight the MCBH and NMFS partnership for monk seal recovery. Volunteers produced a display of KP2 and R042 with a thanks to the MCBH for allowing us to house these seals on base.

3. Seal 040 "Kaena" born at Kaena Point in 2007 was found to have a hook in his mouth. He hauled out at Kaena Point about 1 hour after the seal count was over at 2PM on Saturday. Since this time we have had volunteers out each day and he was observed yesterday. The hooking does not appear life threatening and since he is hauled out most of the time on hard rock the dehooking team has to wait until he is on soft sand or coral rubble to remove the hook. HMSRTO volunteers are scheduled to monitor Kaena Point everyday through this upcoming weekend and will report daily to PIRO and PIFSC. A NMFS team will respond when the seal can be restrained safely. cci@lava.net

4. Late Sunday night (last night) Mimi Olry called and stated that she had a reportof a dead seal on Kauai which was later identified as I19, a 4 year old male.

There was alao a seal at a non-disclosed location on Maui. A special thanks to all who had their weekend disrupted for these events. Let's hope for a quiet weekend coming.

4-4-9 Kaena Pt. Excursion

I had a rare chance to eat breakfast with three unique individuals this morning. One is our leader Bud Antonellas 35 years with NOAA now serving as NOAA Director, and two Monk researchers from the Greek agency visiting our islands. The Greek equivalent for NOAA = MOM which stands for "?" It is the Helenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal lead by Dr. Spyros Kotomatas. His web-site is www.mom.gr. or when I click onto this name, I find, http://www.mom.gr/homepage.asp?ITMID=101 The only problem with this page is that it's written in Greek. Maybe I can find an English version of it. With him was his camera man VanGasil ? (didn't get Van's last name). They are here in Hawaii to study our monk seals which are a kin to the Greek monk seals. After we ate breakfast at Haleiwa Cafe' we took off to Kaena Point to photo any seals we could find. We also found some Albatros and their nesting caves.




We found two monks out at Kaena Point today. This one had two tags on his flippers. The one tag appeard to say 041. But we'll wait for DB to make a clear identification of this one. Howzit there Hana, Ya' Done Good..............again ! The two finds from your KP trek are both regulars at the end of the world. You saw the right hind flipper tags on both animals, so you ID'd them as RO41, and (the "T" was actually and "I") on RI38. Since critters are identified by their left hind flipper tags, these animals are known as RO40, and RI37.

Firstly, RO40 is my 3rd born son out of Irma (R010). He was born at Ka'ena Point on or about 7-6-06. He has not been sighted at any place other than Ka'ena Point yet.






Here 041 just wants to do a little head dip. Here he want to make sure we're all watching him and then . . .



Aaaaaah yes, Head dip feels so good.



"You still watching me?"










"I don't know how anything could be more comfortable than this!"







This second monk had a tag which appears to read T38. Again we'll let DB make the identification. DB writes: RI37 is a female, born at Moloaa, Kauai, 5-1-05. She was mistagged at weaning with and "I" cohort tag, though she is really a "V" cohort, so she is actually a year younger than her tags would suggest. Since you were the first on scene at the sight of R5AY (Honey Girl) and pup (Hoku) last year, you will be especially interested to know that RI37 is the first known pup of R5AY.

I first became aware of RI37 from her sightings on Molokai, but she has been over here on Oahu since 2-22-09. All Oahu sightings have been at Ka'ena Point. Mahalo, DB








Here as we were leaving, we saw the Albatros sanctuary.




Here are their birthing caves.







And here is the Albatros in flight as we were leaving. This guy has a minimum 4' wing span. They're huge bids.

Monk Seal Day

I wanted to let you know that Senator Hooser and Representative Morita from Kauai have introduced Senate and House resolutions to establish a “Monk Seal Day” to coincide with NOAA’s Monk Seal Count Day, the third Saturday in April. SCR 171/ SR 117 is scheduled for a hearing on April 2, 2009 in the Senate ENE Committee in State Capitol Room 225, starting at 3:15 pm. Anyone can attend, so if you have time... Aloha! Jennifer