PO‘IPU – The appearance of a Hawaiian monk seal that looked less than its normal cuddly looking self created some concern among beachgoers at Po‘ipu Beach Park, but Millie Johnston, president of the Kaua‘i Monk Seal Watch Program assured everyone
PO‘IPU – The appearance of a Hawaiian monk seal that looked less than its normal cuddly looking self created some concern among beachgoers at Po‘ipu Beach Park, but Millie Johnston, president of the Kaua‘i Monk Seal Watch Program assured everyone that the big male is alive and well – just going through his molting process.
Johnston said the big male, named K03 because he was the third monk seal tagged on the island, has been returning to Po‘ipu Beach Park for the past four years during the molting season.
“He used to be over there,” Johnston said, pointing to the area fronting the lifeguard stand. “But, for some reason, this time he chose this spot,” a sandy area fronting the naupaka close to the Waiohai beach access.
Johnston was on hand Wednesday morning to keep watch on the molting seal, who, she explained, will be on the beach until the process is complete. The molting will last for about two or three weeks, she said.
But, because of her familiarity with the endangered animal, she was on the beach because she said he moves to a different area when the sun moves.
Her task is to keep watch and move the rope barrier when the seal moves, and then she leaves because she said once he relocates in the morning, he’ll be there for most of the day. When the sun sets, Johnston returns to keep watch as the seal will relocate once more for the night.
“He’s a little late this year,” Johnston said. “He just started molting on Tuesday, but he was here a week ago Wednesday as part of the pre-molting stage.”
Johnston said that when the seal’s coat turns green beneath its normal brown, it’s a sign that molting will take place, pointing out the greenish algae-like color on the seal’s rear flippers.
In discussing the Hawaiian monk seal, Johnston noted that there is a mother who has given birth on Kaua‘i for the past two years in the Na Pali area, and she expects that the mother should be returning shortly to give birth again this year.
“That could happen any time now,” Johnston said.
Johnston also noted that in the last 10 days, they have received reports of a monk seal trailing some fishing line from the Lihu‘e Airport area.
Anyone who sees an injured seal is asked to call the monk seal hotline at 651-7668.
