Increase in births among endangered Hawaiian monk seals on O’ahu forces authorities to act: Kauai Now

An endangered Hawaiian monk seal born on Mokulua Nui off O’ahu in 2018 has given birth to her first pup on the same small island.

The birth of the monk seal pup, named Wailea, or RJ30, was confirmed Friday. Just days earlier, conservation officials announced the first recorded monk seal birth on Sand Island on O’ahu.

The incident also follows the recent charges against two people, including an employee of the State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, for a dog attack in May that killed a puppy on O’ahu’s North Shore.

The births of 11 monk seals on Oʻahu this year have brought with them some unique challenges for seal and human conservation.

Due to births in highly visible areas such as Kaimana Beach in Waikīkī on May 1 and just last week at a beach in Sand Island State Recreation Area, DLNR, NOAA and Hawai’i Marine Animal Rescue have initiated joint plans to separate and protect mothers, pups and curious humans.

Hawaiian monk seals are critically endangered, with fewer than 1,400 left in the world. They were once confined to the northwestern Hawaiian Islands, but now they are breeding on the main islands.

Managing Mokulua Nui is particularly difficult, according to DLNR, because the island lies off the coast of Kailua and is a popular destination for kayakers. On Friday, DLNR’s Division of Forestry and Wildlife suspended all commercial landing permits for Mokulua Island.

David Smith, chief of DLNR’s Forestry and Wildlife Division, said, “We recognize and understand the impact this has on kayaking operations and recreational activities at the start of the busy summer tourist season.

“However, seals’ proximity to humans can pose safety risks for both humans and animals,” Smith continued. “We appreciate everyone’s patience as this mother seal nurses her pup and prepares it for weaning in five to seven weeks.”

Staff from the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife, DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources, NOAA Marine Fisheries Service and Hawai’i Marine Animal Rescue are working together to inform people that docking on the island’s beach is currently prohibited. Staff and volunteers recommend that boaters do not dock anywhere on the island to ensure the seal and her pup are not injured or disturbed and due to the unimproved and unsafe conditions outside the resting area.

The Mokulua Islands were designated as a wildlife sanctuary in 1932 by Executive Order 532 for the “protection of birds, animals and plants.”

Signs with NOAA’s “seal quiet zones” guidelines are already up on Moku Nui, and more signs warning against beach landings will be put up this week. Biologists say kayaks coming and going from the island are likely to disturb the mother seal and her pup and could therefore be considered a “kidnapping” of a protected species, which is prohibited under both state and federal law.

In addition, staff and volunteers stationed on the island record all human activity during the seals’ presence and use this information to manage the offshore islands. No one should move or damage any signs.

At Sand Island State Recreation Area, where mother seal Rocky gave birth to her 15th pup last week, the park was packed with campers over the weekend. A large perimeter fence or barrier and seal safety signs are in place, including signs reminding people that dogs, leashed or not, are never allowed in the park.

Despite the warnings, several dogs were seen in a group of campers. Officials from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement will penalize people they catch with dogs in the area. In addition to fines, future camping permits may also be denied.

A third seal, a young male, shared the beach with Rocky and her pup on Sunday. At one point he came too close to the resting mother and pup, was warned off by Rocky and then rested far away from the pair.

For more information about Hawaiian monk seal mothers and their pups, including observation guidelines, visit the NOAA Fisheries FAQ page here.