COURTESY NOAA
Hawaiian monk seal pup ‘Anela has been outfitted with a temporary satellite tag to track her movements after being relocated to a remote beach on Oahu.
The monk seal pup recently weaned at Kaimana Beach in Waikiki has successfully been relocated to a remote shoreline on Oahu, according to federal wildlife officials.
The pup, named ‘Anela ‘Auinala by Waikiki Elementary School students, headed into the ocean to explore the reef at the new site today, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officials.
Kaiwi gave birth to ‘Anela on May 3 at Kaimana Beach, where the pair bonded for about six-and-a-half weeks.
NOAA officials said Kaiwi officially weaned ‘Anela on Tuesday, leaving the female pup on her own at Kaimana Beach.
They will not disclose ‘Anela’s new location, but said it is much quieter, and will help her learn normal, wild behaviors that young seals need for survival away from large crowds.
NOAA and its partners — the nonprofit Hawaii Marine Animal Response and Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources — collected the pup from Kaimana Beach “during a swift and smooth morning operation,” with support from the Honolulu Police Department.
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NOAA took ‘Anela to its Ford Island facility for a brief health check, preventative vaccination and flipper ID tags before the transfer. Wildlife officials also attached a temporary satellite tag to track the pup’s movements over the next few months.
Upon relocation, officials said ‘Anela initially headed for the mountains when her carrier door opened, then did a U-turn and headed toward the ocean.
Officials remind the public to remain a recommended distance of 50 feet from endangered monk seals, both on shore and in the water. For mom-and-pup pairs, the recommended distance is 150 feet.
Seal sightings can be reported to NOAA’s marine wildlife hotline at (888) 256-9840.