National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officials said they would move the monk seal pup born at Kaimana Beach once she is fully weaned to a secluded beach on Oahu.
The female pup named Pualani (also known as PO5) was born on April 14 at Oahu’s Kaimana Beach, a crowded spot at the edge of Waikiki. Following her birth, most of the beach was roped off, and DOCARE officers started a 24/7 watch to protect the monk seal mom and pup and human beachgoers.
“Since our officers began providing land and ocean overwatch at Kaimana Beach, only one person was cited over the past month,” said DOCARE Chief Jason Redulla in a DLNR news release.
NOAA officials decided to relocate the pup because they are concerned she will become habituated to humans, which would limit her ability to learn how to be a wild monk seal.
Monk seal mothers nurse their pups for five to seven weeks before abruptly leaving. While nursing, a monk seal mom does not forage for food and instead fasts until she uses up all of her energy, which is why the mom must leave to find food after weaning. The independent pup then must survive on its own.
Once the monk seal mother, Kaiwi, fully weans Pualani, then NOAA officials will move the pup to a secluded beach. Officials will not be disclosing the date and time when Pualani will be moved or the location of the new beach in order to protect the pup from human interactions.
The method of transporting Pualani will depend on the circumstances on the day. Two options include using boards with handles to encourage Pualani into a large dog kennel or using a “stretcher net,” which is a piece of netting strung between two poles and is specifically designed to scoop up young monk seals. NOAA officials do not plan to use a tranquilizer, so Pualani will probably wiggle and make vocalizations. A veterinarian will be on-site to monitor Pualani’s health.
Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii. Email her at michelle.brodervandyke@charter.com.