Eh, you remember da kine monk seal Kaiwi an’ her keiki? Dey stay chillin’ at Kaimana Beach now. So, da big kahunas from da feds an’ da state, dey like ask you guys fo’ give ’em plenty room – or maybe check out one oddah beach in Waikiki. ?️
Da National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recommend fo’ keep like 150 feet away from da mom an’ da pup, whether you on da land or in da water. Dey wen put up signs fo’ let you guys know, an’ dey wen cordon off most of da beach with netting. ?♀️?
Dey doin’ dis fo’ protect Kaiwi an’ her pup as dey bond an’ nurse, which goin’ take like five to seven weeks, plus fo’ make sure da humans stay safe too. ??
Dis year, NOAA, da state Department of Land and Natural Resources, an’ da Honolulu lifeguards, dey all in togeddah fo’ take more proactive measures fo’ keep both da endangered seals an’ da humans safe. ?️?
Dey wen set up one big protective border real fast, give da beachgoers one visual idea of what da 150-foot distance look like. ??
Get two public access points to da ocean, but da setup might change as da seals move around. ??
DLNR plan fo’ post Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement officers at da site all day an’ night fo’ protect da endangered seals. ??
DOCARE Chief Jason Redulla said da round-the-clock watch likely goin’ start dis weekend, involving all his Oahu officers. ??
He wen make clear dat anyone who break da 50-yard, or 150-foot, rule around da seals goin’ get in trouble, maybe even get arrested or cited. ?♀️⚠️
Dere was one sad kine incident in 2022 when Rocky, anoddah nursing monk seal, she thought one wahine from California was one threat to her pup an’ she wen attack her while she was swimming at Kaimana Beach. Da wahine got some cuts but was able fo’ get out of da ocean, thanks to some good Samaritans who wen help her. ????
Officials like fo’ prevent da same kine thing happening again. Redulla said under state law, if you harass or harm a monk seal on purpose, das considered one Class C felony, can get you jail time an’ fines. ?️?
In da past, get tourists who wen get cited fo’ slapping or touching da monk seals while dey was sleeping along da Hawaii shorelines, an’ den dey wen post ’em on social media. ?❌
Kaiwi gave birth to da pup at Kaimana Beach on da morning of April 14. NOAA, who monitors da seals, along with volunteers from its nonprofit partner, Hawaii Marine Animal Response, dey knew Kaiwi was expecting but dey could only guess da exact time, date an’ place. ?️?️
A few HMAR volunteers was dea fo’ see da birth. Das one really special moment , accordin’ to Kramer, cause it gives hope fo’ da revival of da species. ??
Monk seals was hunted almost till extinction, only recently dey numbers started going up small kine. Only get about 1,500 seals left in da wild — most of dem in da remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, but more an’ more coming to da main Hawaiian Isles. ?️?
And looks like Kaimana Beach goin’ be da spot fo’ more pups, cause Kaiwi’s pup is da fourth one to be born dea. Rocky wen give birth dea twice, an’ now Kaiwi wen do da same. ??
Kaiwi wen have her first pup in April 2021, one pup named Loli‘i at Kaimana Beach. Befo’ dat, she wen give birth to three oddah pups along da Kaiwi coastline, where she herself was born. ??
Da Hawaiian monk seal Rocky first wen become famous fo’ giving birth to a pup at da crowded beach in 2017. Rocky also wen give birth to one pup at Kaimana Beach las’ summer. ??
Fo’ show respect to da Hawaiian monk seals, rememba fo’ give da monk seal moms an’ pups at least 150 feet of space as dey nurse fo’ five to seven weeks (on land and in water). Stay behind da posted signs, ropes or fencing. ??
Follow da instructions of da officials on-site. NOAA/HMAR goin’ be on da beach every day fo’ give information on da mom an’ pup. ???
Keep your voice low an’ avoid contact with da seals to limit their interactions with humans. ??
Da monk seal pups need one safe space fo’ rest, nurse an’ explore their habitat. Da pup goin’ explore more as it grows. ??
Cause mother monk seals with a pup can an’ have been defensive an’ caused injuries to humans in da past, NOAA recommends staying out of da water at Kaimana Beach and choosing anoddah beach. ?♂️⛔
Keep all dogs on a leash. ??
You can help NOAA track seals by reporting sightings to da hotline at 888-256-9840. ??️
Source: NOAA/HMAR. So, ho brah, let’s malama our monk seal ohana, yeah? ???
NOW IN ENGLISH
? ? Kaiwi the Monk Seal and Her Pup Need Space: Public Cooperation Requested ?
Kaiwi, a monk seal mother, and her newborn pup have taken up residence on Kaimana Beach. Federal and state authorities are once again urging beachgoers to keep their distance from the pair, or opt for another Waikiki beach for the time being. ?️?
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recommends a minimum distance of 150 feet from the seals, both on the land and in the water. The area has been marked off with netting and informative signs to communicate this request to the public. ??
The protective measures are necessary for both parties involved. For the seals, the mother-child bonding and nursing period that lasts five to seven weeks must be undisturbed. For the people, it’s a matter of safety. Mother seals, like any mothers, can become protective and attack if they perceive a threat to their pups. ??
This year, efforts to ensure the safety of both seals and humans have been ramped up by the NOAA, the Department of Land and Natural Resources, and Honolulu lifeguards. They have established a larger-than-usual perimeter around the seals to help beachgoers visualize the recommended 150-foot distance. ??️
While there are two public access points to the ocean, these could change as the seals move around. The DLNR plans to have Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement officers on site 24/7 to protect the seals. ??️
Those who fail to respect the boundary around the seals may face enforcement actions, including potential arrest or citation. This is a serious matter, and authorities urge everyone to follow the viewing guidelines and state laws. ⚠️?
The proactive measures come in the wake of an incident in 2022 when Rocky, another nursing monk seal, attacked a visitor from California who was perceived as a threat to her pup. While the visitor sustained injuries, she was helped out of the water by good Samaritans. ?♀️?
The intentional harassment or harm of a monk seal is considered a Class C felony under state law, punishable by imprisonment and fines. Visitors have been cited in the past for slapping or touching sleeping monk seals and sharing the incidents on social media. ❌?
The birth of Kaiwi’s pup at Kaimana Beach on April 14 was a special moment. The survival of the species, once hunted nearly to extinction, hangs in the balance with only about 1,500 seals remaining in the wild. The birth of a pup brings hope for the monk seals’ revival. ??
Kaimana Beach has become a popular birthing spot, with Kaiwi’s pup being the fourth one born there. Kaiwi had previously given birth to a pup named Loli’i at Kaimana Beach in April 2021, and three other pups along the Kaiwi coastline. Rocky, another monk seal, also gave birth at Kaimana Beach in 2017 and again last summer. ??
Authorities encourage visitors to be mindful of the seals, follow the instructions of officials on-site, keep voices low, avoid interaction with the seals, and keep dogs on a leash. NOAA also recommends choosing another beach for water activities during this time. Reports of seal sightings can be made to the NOAA hotline at 888-256-9840. ??️
Source: NOAA/HMAR. So, let’s take care of our monk seal family, shall we? ??
