Sole
Hawaiian Monk Seal
Neomonachus schauinslandi
Hawaiian monk seal pup Sole (pronounced SUH-lay) was rescued on the remote Kalaupapa Peninsula on Moloka‘i after he was prematurely weaned from his mother’s milk and wasn’t able to get the nutrition he needed.
Hawaiian monk seals are an endangered species, with only about 1,400 left in the wild, so it was important that Sole be brought to our hospital, Ke Kai Ola, for rehabilitative care. Despite being malnourished, our veterinarians noted that he was in good health.
Sole was tube-fed a nutritious formula at first and soon transitioned to eating whole fish. Human contact was minimal and specialized enrichment activities encouraged him to develop natural behaviors and skills to ensure he’d have the best chance of survival out in the wild.
Thanks to support from people like you, after months of care, Sole was released back to his ocean home with a second chance at life.
photo © The Marine Mammal Center / NOAA permit #18786
- Age at Admit
- Pup
- Sex
- Male
- Rescue Location
- Molokaʻi
- Diagnosis
- Malnutrition, Maternal separation
- Admitted
- 07/12/2018
- Status
- Released
- Release Date
- 10/19/2018
- Release Location
- Molokaʻi
Yes, I want to save a life!
Yes, I want to save a life!
You’ll be giving sick and injured animals the best possible care at the Center’s state-of-the-art hospital. With your gift today, you are giving a patient a second chance at life in the wild.
