Monk seal pup born at Sand Island will be relocated
The endangered Hawaiian monk seal pup born June 20 in the busy Sand Island State Recreation Area—the 15th pup born to famous monk seal mom Rocky—will be relocated to a more remote Oahu shoreline.
The male pup, named Ili ‘ili, will be moved just before weaning at about 5-7 weeks, NOAA Fisheries said in a news release. Pups born in high-risk area have been previously moved to allow the best chances at growing up wild and healthy.
State and federal officials, along with the nonprofit Hawaii Marine Animal Rescue are working together to keep people away from the mom-and-pup pair as they nurse.
“One concerning issue for the pup is growing up in a busy urban environment, like Sand Island State Recreation Area. The presence of overnight campers, fishermen, and beachgoers poses a risk for interactions between the pup and people sharing a small sandy beach. Hawaiian monk seals are curious by nature—and young pups even more so, ” said NOAA Fisheries. “A young seal that receives interactions from people—such as attention, play, or being fed—will continue to seek out humans for these interactions. Once the seal grows and matures, that behavior can be a human safety risk.”
Sand Island, close to a busy shipping port with large ships, also exposes the mom and pup to vessel strike and entanglement.
Rocky previously gave birth on Kaimana beach in 2017 and 2022, with all other pups born on Kauai.
This was the first recorded monk seal birth at Sand Island, according to the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources.
