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Hawaiian monk seal Meleana and her pup on the beach
Press Release

Milestone Moment: Released Hawaiian Monk Seal Patients Spotted With Pups in Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

September 8, 2022
  • Species conservation

A milestone moment: For the first time, NOAA researchers find offspring of released Hawaiian monk seal patients from The Marine Mammal Center in Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

The news comes as one endangered seal is released back to the wild and four more are admitted to Ke Kai Ola, the Center’s dedicated hospital for monk seals on Hawai‘i Island

In a sign of hope for the next generation of endangered Hawaiian monk seals and a critical boost to ongoing conservation efforts, researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for the first time confirmed that two formerly released patients from The Marine Mammal Center’s hospital in Kailua-Kona, Ke Kai Ola, are now new moms. The news comes as the Center admitted four more seal pups into rehabilitative care and released another seal patient in partnership with NOAA. 

For an endangered species, every patient matters. The birth of these two Hawaiian monk seal pups from former patients is a real milestone to this endangered population and is a powerful example of the impact of conservation efforts by NOAA and programs like ours.

“For an endangered species, every patient matters. The birth of these two Hawaiian monk seal pups from former patients is a real milestone to this endangered population and is a powerful example of the impact of conservation efforts by NOAA and programs like ours,” says Dr. Sophie Whoriskey, Hawaiian Monk Seal Conservation Veterinarian at The Marine Mammal Center. “The further addition of four female animals that were all underweight and unlikely to survive the winter without intervention is a further testament that our critical mission work is more important than ever.” 

Hawaiian monk seal Meleana and her pup on the beach
Hawaiian monk seal Meleana (right), who was rehabilitated at Ke Kai Ola in 2014, with her pup on Manawai (Pearl and Hermes Reef) / photo by Paige Mino © NOAA Fisheries / NOAA permit #18786
Hawaiian monk seal Meleana and her pup on the beach
Hawaiian monk seal Meleana (left), who was rehabilitated at Ke Kai Ola in 2014, with her pup on Manawai (Pearl and Hermes Reef) / photo by Paige Mino © NOAA Fisheries / NOAA permit #18786

Before The Marine Mammal Center opened Ke Kai Ola in 2014, there were no options to save undersized pups. Now these pups that would have most certainly died in the wild are having their own pups, an important step to population growth for this endangered species. 

“Without the opportunity for rehabilitation at Ke Kai Ola, almost every one of the seal pups rescued would have died. From decades of research, we know that pups in the same condition as our patients in rehabilitative care don’t live to see their first birthdays,” says Dr. Michelle Barbieri, Lead Scientist for NOAA’s Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program. 

We are grateful to our partners at The Marine Mammal Center for their support in helping save this endangered species, and ensuring these young pups receive a second chance to return to their ocean home.

The mother seals, Meleana and Ama‘ama, who rehabilitated at Ke Kai Ola in 2014 and 2015, gave birth at Manawai (Pearl and Hermes Reef) and Lalo (French Frigate Shoals), respectively, this summer. This is the first time NOAA researchers have detected births from Northwestern Hawaiian Island seals that have been rehabilitated at the Center’s hospital.

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All Aboard for a Second Chance

NOAA’s field researchers sighted the pups on their annual field camps to the Northwest Hawaiian Islands. Additionally, they discovered four more seals at risk and were able to successfully rescue them for transport. 

Scientists onboard the NOAA Research Vessel Oscar Elton Sette performed physical exams and initial treatment on the four female monk seals rescued from Pihemanu (Midway), Manawai (Pearl and Hermes Atoll), and Lalo (French Frigate Shoals). 

The research ship shuttled three pups and one juvenile seal to Kona, and from there they were quickly transported to Ke Kai Ola where they join Malama and Ikaika in care.  

One pup was rescued from Manawai, DQ10, who weaned early at a small size and was unlikely to survive the winter season due to poor body condition.  The other two pups from Lalo, QQ26 and QQ22, are also quite thin. The juvenile, PP32, is the oldest of the group and was rescued at Pihemanu as she was unlikely to survive due to poor body condition. 

Hawaiian monk seal pup DQ10
Hawaiian monk seal pup DQ10 weaned early at a small size and was rescued at Manawai (Pearl and Hermes Reef). / photo by Lauren Van Heukelem © The Marine Mammal Center / NOAA permit #18786
juvenile Hawaiian monk seal PP32
Juvenile Hawaiian monk seal PP32 is the oldest of the recent admits and was rescued at Pihemanu (Midway) as she was unlikely to survive due to poor body condition. /photo by Lauren Van Heukelem © The Marine Mammal Center / NOAA permit #18786
Hawaiian monk seal pup Malama
The new admits joined Hawaiian monk seal pup Malama in care at Ke Kai Ola. / photo by Lauren Van Heukelem © The Marine Mammal Center / NOAA permit #18786
Hawaiian monk seal Ahonui on the beach with a satellite tag on her back
Hawaiian monk seal Ahonui was successfully released on Kamole (Laysan Island). / photo by Megan Ely © NOAA / NOAA permit #18786

All four new patients appear stable and are settling in well to their new surroundings. Both PP32 and DQ10 are eating well on their own. QQ22 and QQ26 are both being tube fed for nutritional support and are showing strong interest in fish offers. They will also be treated as needed for intestinal parasites while in care. 

Ahonui, a female pup that had weaned early at a small size on Kamole (Laysan Island) and was transferred into the Center’s care in late May, was successfully released back to the wild on Kamole in the early stages of the trip. 

Learn More About Hawaiian Monk Seals

Sign up to receive Hawaiian monk seal news, patient updates and more straight to your inbox.

Since 2014, the Center has rehabilitated and released 38 monk seals, most of which have been rescued from and returned to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands as part of the Center’s partnership with NOAA Fisheries, utilizing resources in the area to identify seals in need, rescue and rehabilitate them, and give them a second chance at life. 

The Center’s partnership with NOAA Fisheries and other cooperating agencies is more important than ever to prevent this endangered species from becoming extinct.  


For more information or to set up an interview on this topic, please contact us at media@tmmc.org.



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Header image by Paige Mino © NOAA Fisheries / NOAA permit #18786 

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