Young Hawaiian monk seal receives emergency care

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Federal and state agencies collaborated with the Marine Mammal Center to rescue a young Hawaiian monk seal off Maui earlier this month.

Authorities say RS52, a young male born on Lanai, was found to have lost significant weight in late September. Over the next few weeks he became increasingly less energetic and continued to weaken, leading to the launch of a special response mission to administer emergency care.

On October 17, the Marine Mammal Center volunteers who spotted RS52 went ashore on West Maui. It was retrieved from headquarters by teams from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries and Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Aquatic Resources Division, then transported to Hawaii Island for emergency maintenance by Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter. .

RS52 is currently undergoing testing at the Marine Mammal Center’s Ke Kai Ola Hawaiian monk seal hospital and conservation program in Kona to determine the best possible care for his recovery.

Authorities credit RS52’s recovery to the community’s timely reports and careful monitoring.

You can help care for endangered Hawaiian monk seals by reporting all monk seal sightings to the statewide NOAA Marine Wildlife Hotline at (888) 256-9840.

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