Hawaiian monk seals rehabilitated at Kona marine hospital are now first-time moms

Two Hawaiian monk seals that were previously rescued and rehabilitated at Kona’s marine hospital are now mothers.

Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources, working in partnership with Kure Atoll Conservancy, announced TF90 and LL00, rescued years before for malnourishment, were seen in April nursing healthy pups at Hōlanikū (Kure Atoll) in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument and have since successfully weaned their young.

“For an endangered species, every patient matters,” said Sophie Whoriskey, Associate Director of Hawaiʻi Conservation Medicine at The Marine Mammal Center. “To hear the incredible news that former patients Pua ‘Ena O Ke Kai (TF90) and Maka Kilo (LL00) are nursing healthy Hawaiian monk seal pups is a powerful example of the impact of conservation efforts by NOAA and programs like ours.”

National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration recalled each rescue in a press release last week.

TF90, also known as Pua ‘Ena O Ke Kai, was born in 2014 and rescued when she was only a few months old.

At that time, NOAA Fisheries Marine Biologist Hope Ronco was deployed to Kamole (Laysan Island) as part of a three-person team studying Hawaiian monk seals. She recalled the coordinated effort it took to rescue Pua.

After monitoring Pua and documenting her declining body condition, they received permission to place her in a shorepen for a full evaluation.

“We searched and searched, and of course finally found Pua in the early evening at one of the farthest areas from camp on the southern end of the island in an area known as shipwreck. We successfully captured Pua in a stretcher net and carried her more than 1 mile back to our camp,” Ronco said. “While the average healthy weaned pup weighs around 150 pounds, TF90 was only 50 pounds at the time, yet it was still an effort to carry her that far.”

They monitored her closely; a veterinary team determined that she would be an excellent candidate for rehabilitation. Pua was placed on the team’s research vessel for transportation to Ke Kai Ola, and the team continued to care for Pua while in transit.

TF90 was successfully rehabilitated and released in 2015 Kuaihelani (Midway Atoll). Today, she is 10 years old.

In 2019, LL00, also known as Maka Kilo, was rescued on Kapou (Lisianski Island). She was malnourished and would not have survived without direct intervention. In the days leading up to their pick up and departure on the NOAA Ship Oscar Elton Sette, the field team could not find LL00.

At the last possible moment, she hauled out on the beach and the team guided her into a cage and got her onto the Oscar Elton Sette. She was transported to Ke Kai Ola for rehabilitation.

LL00 was closely monitored and cared for by Hawaiian monk seal hospital’s expert team, which included being tube-fed a fish-mash smoothie three times a day. After 10 months of rehabilitation, LL00 weighed about 200 pounds and was ready to return home.

NOAA’s summer field camps at Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument were canceled in 2020 and her release required extra organization.

The U.S. Coast Guard flight to Kuaihelani flew LL00 to Kuaihelani. She was held in a pen on a beach for a few days while being monitored by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff before being released. Her care, transport, and release was a massive undertaking and a great example of the interagency coordination needed to support these special animals.

“These new mothers and their pups represent the importance of Hawaiian monk seal rescue and rehabilitation,” NOAA stated. “We celebrate them and the many organizations whose commitment to this endangered species make progress in their recovery possible.”