Obstacles, Contentment, and an Abundance of Monk Seal Pup Encounters in the 2021 Field Expedition
Headline: A Year of Conservation Successes in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
Subheadline: NOAA biologists and partners make strides in protecting endangered green sea turtles and monk seals
In the pristine waters of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, a dedicated team of researchers from the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument and associated scientific organisations worked tirelessly to conserve the endangered green sea turtles and monk seals.
Despite a short season and new team members, Team Kapou on Lisianski Island managed to tag all weaned pups from 2021 and almost all from 2020. Meanwhile, Team Lalo on French Frigate Shoals identified more than 1,000 individual turtles at Lalo, including 679 females on Tern Island. They also rescued lost nesting green sea turtles that got stuck behind the sea wall on Tern Island.
On Tern Island at Lalo, a significant milestone was reached as a loggerhead turtle was observed attempting to nest, a first in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
The Lalo turtle team also discovered hatch craters and clean hatchlings, as well as old tags on turtles, providing valuable insights into the turtle population.
On Laysan Island, Team Kapole developed individual relationships with the seals, noting scars, molting, and weaned pups. Fourteen weaned seal pups were translocated to Tern Island.
Pearl and Hermes Reef, it seems, has more turtle activity than previously thought. Over 250 identified marked individuals were found, and baby turtles were seen emerging in camp. Team Manawai tagged a subadult male monk seal in a safe and efficient operation.
Two seals were treated with long-acting antibiotics at Manawai to help them recover from injuries. A young monk seal on Lisianski Island healed rapidly from a traumatic shark bite, completely closing the wound in 11 days and gaining weight by the end of the summer.
NOAA biologists faced numerous challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic but returned to the field after implementing special precautions. They collected data critical for stock assessment and participated in several projects with partner agencies in Papahānaumokuākea.
In total, the teams conducted 57 complete monk seal surveys this year and performed 23 seal interventions, including collecting a prematurely weaned pup at Kuaihelani (Midway) that needed rehabilitation. One weaned seal pup from Kuaihelani was released at Kapou (Lisianski Island) after rehabilitation.
At least 171 pups were born in Papahānaumokuākea this year, and field teams managed to tag at least 135 of them. On Kure Atoll, Team Hōlanikū successfully disentangled VH26, a young adult female monk seal who gave birth to a pup this year and was released with hopes for a successful pup in 2022.
The efforts of these teams ensure the continued protection and conservation of these endangered species in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
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