Rehabilitated monk seals get second chance at survival, released back into the wild

Shea Woodrow 6th April 2023

Hawaiian monk seals DQ10 (Lelehua) (front), WQ08 (Ikaika) (middle), PP32 (Alena) (back) rest in a rehabilitation pool pen at Ke Kai Ola, The Marine Mammal Center’s hospital based in Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i. (Hawaiian monk seal Ululani also pictured, left).

The Marine Mammal Center — Hawaiian monk seals DQ10 (Lelehua) (front), WQ08 (Ikaika) (middle), PP32 (Alena) (back) rest in a rehabilitation pool pen at Ke Kai Ola, The Marine Mammal Center’s hospital based in Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i. (Hawaiian monk seal Ululani also pictured, left).
*The Marine Mammal Center*

Thanks to a multi-agency effort, three endangered Hawaiian monk seals have been released back into the wild after being treated for malnourishment.

Alena, Lelehua, and Ikaika were released into the wild at Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, thanks to a partnership between NOAA Fisheries, The Marine Mammal Center, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The rehabilitated seals now have a new chance to thrive at Kuaihelani (Midway Atoll), which is a marine monument located on the far northern end of the Hawaiian archipelago.

The process from rehabilitation to release is no easy feat — especially in these remote areas of the Pacific Ocean.

The seal patients, who were nursed back to health at the Marine Mammal’s Center’s Ke Kai Ola hospital, are considered ready for release after they gain enough weight from feeding on their own. They must also pass a release exam with a clean bill of health. That process can take anywhere from weeks to months depending on the seal patient’s ailment, age, and body condition.

Rehabilitated juvenile monk seals PP32 (Alena), DQ10 (Lelehua), and WQ08 (Ikaika) acclimate to their new surroundings at Kuaihelani (Midway Atoll) inside a temporary enclosure.

NOAA Fisheries/Brenda Becker — *Rehabilitated juvenile monk seals PP32 (Alena), DQ10 (Lelehua), and WQ08 (Ikaika) acclimate to their new surroundings at Kuaihelani (Midway Atoll) inside a temporary enclosure.*
*NOAA Fisheries/Brenda Becker*

Multiple agencies pitched in to help with the release.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service assisted NOAA Fisheries with a runway and facilities on Kuaihelani, as well as helping staff the effort. The U.S. Coast Guard provided a plane and flight crew to transport the seals to the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge.

Three monk seals return to Midway Atoll at Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument after struggling with malnourishment. They now have a second chance at survival. USFWS/Andrew Sullivan-Haskins

NOAA Fisheries will continue to monitor the seals, using satellite tags and individual flipper tags.

“We’re working to understand all of the factors that influence rehabilitated monk seals’ survival,” said Dr. Michelle Barbieri, lead scientist with the NOAA Fisheries Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program. “Observing their movement patterns over time helps inform how well the seals are acclimating post-release.”

“With threats like climate change, the solutions of the future may not look like those of today,” said Barbieri. “But with commitment, community support, and a little creativity, we will help this species thrive.”

You can read more about the coordinated release here, and see all the photos of the seals’ journey here.

Source:

Kathryn Doorey at KITV