Hawaiian monk seal Kaʻiwi gives birth to 7th pup at Kaimana Beach on O‘ahu, prompting coordinated safety response

A Hawaiian monk seal pup was born Sunday, May 3, at sunset on Kaimana Beach in Waikīkī on O’ahu.

The pup is the seventh 15-year-old female Kaʻiwi (RK96), who is known to visit O‘ahu’s south shore.

Officials remind the public that maintaining a respectful distance is the most important thing they can do to protect the endangered monk seals and community.

You can help

• Keep dogs on a leash and well away from seals.
• Use an alternate beach during the pup’s nursing period.
• Stay at least 150 feet away from mothers with pups.
• Stay at least 50 feet away from all monk seals.
• Remain behind any posted signs, cones or barriers.
• Avoid swimming near a mother and pup.
• Use a camera zoom or binoculars instead of approaching.

Report all sightings of Hawaiian monk seals to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Wildlife Hotline at 888-256-9840. You can also check out frequently asked questions about monk seal mothers and pups.

Legal protections

Hawaiian monk seals are protected under the federal Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act, as well as state law.

It is illegal to disturb, harass, feed or otherwise harm a monk seal. Violations can result in fines or criminal penalties.

Public safety

While monk seals are generally not aggressive, mother seals are large and powerful and can be very protective of their young, as evidenced by a 2022 encounter between a swimmer and mother seal at Kaimana Beach that resulted in the swimmer receiving lacerations to her face, back and an arm.

Ocean users, especially swimmers and surfers, are strongly advised to choose alternate locations for their activities during the 5 to 7 weeks the pup is nursing to avoid unexpected and potentially dangerous encounters.

Approaching too closely in the water significantly increases risk of injury.

Seals can move quickly and without warning — and interactions in the ocean could escalate with little time to react.

Multi-agency response

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources and Hawai‘i Marine Animal Response are coordinating efforts with City and County of Honolulu to reduce risk to people as well as the mother monk seal and her new pup.

Those efforts include cooperation and assistance from Honolulu Ocean Safety Department, Honolulu Police Department and Department of Parks and Recreation, as well as Outrigger Canoe Club, Sans Souci and Kaimana Beach Hotel.

Hawai‘i Marine Animal Response installed protective fencing to create a buffer area on the shoreline, allowing mother and pup to rest without pressure from crowds. The organization also is monitoring the mom and pup’s behaviors and activities.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries is carefully monitoring the health of both seals and progress throughout the pup’s nursing period of 5 to 7 weeks.

Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement and partner agencies are helping maintain a 50-yard buffer in the water, when resources allow.

Critical nursing period underway

Mom Kaʻiwi and pup will stay together while the pup nurses and gains necessary strength to survive when Kaʻiwi departs. The pup during the next 5 to 7 weeks of nursing is vulnerable and dependent on its mother for survival.

Human disturbance during this period can have serious and lasting consequences.

A nursing mother could abandon her pup if she is repeatedly stressed, significantly reducing its chances of survival.

Young seals also are highly impressionable. Close human interaction can lead to habituation, where the animal loses its natural wariness of people.

Wild seals that get used to people can lose the instincts they need to survive and become dangerous as they grow larger and stronger.

Staying away keeps everyone safe and gives seals a better chance to live in the wild.

Background

Kaʻiwi was herself born on O‘ahu and successfully raised pups along the Kaʻiwi Coast in the past.

Her previous pups were:

• RT96 (Paʻaki), female born during 2024 on Kaimana Beach.
• RS36 (Pualani), female born during 2023 on Kaimana Beach.
• RP96 (Lōliʻi), male born during 2021 on Kaimana Beach.
• RM26 (Nohea), female born during 2020 along the Kaʻiwi coastline.
• RK24 (Wāwāmalu), male born during 2018 along the Kaʻiwi coastline.
• RH36 (Kawena), female born during 2016 along the Kaʻiwi coastline

Kaʻiwi is the second Hawaiian monk seal to use Kaimana Beach for pupping, following Rocky’s (RH58) first documented birth in 2017 at this site.

While these events highlight the success of ongoing community-based recovery efforts, they also require heightened awareness and cooperation from the public because of the high level of human and seal activity at the Waikīkī beach.