An underweight Hawaiian monk seal pup named Malama was rescued by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officials, according to a press release. 

Monk seals are known for being chunky, and when they are pups, they get their baby rolls from nursing. A mother monk seal relies on her fat storage to produce milk, because she fasts while nursing. Sometimes a thin mother monk seal will wean her pup sooner than usual in order to depart to find food for herself. After the monk seal mother leaves, pups rely on weight gained while nursing as their teeth are still developing and they are learning to forage on their own.  

NOAA officials noticed Malama, a girl pup who was born to first-time mom Kala on June 6 on Manana Island (also known as Rabbit Island), was on the small side. Kala was also thinner than average for a monk seal mom. NOAA was concerned Malama wouldn’t have enough food, so they kept a close watch on her. 

Officials waited one month after Kala departed before intervening. This allowed the monk seal pup to learn skills needed to survive, such as foraging, which might shorten her rehabilitation time. On Aug. 4, Malama was rescued by NOAA. Officials noticed Malama had lost even more weight than expected.

Now, Malama is at the Marine Mammal Center’s Hawaiian monk seal hospital, Ke Kai Ola, in Kona on Hawaii Island. When she has gained weight and is prepared to survive in the wild, she will be released. 

Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii.