Young Hawaiian monk seal undergoes emergency care

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Federal and state agencies teamed up with the Marine Mammal Center to rescue a young Hawaiian monk seal on Maui earlier this month.
Officials say RS52, a juvenile male born on Lanai, was spotted losing significant weight in late September. Over the next few weeks, he became progressively less energetic and continued to thin, prompting a special intervention mission to administer emergency care.
On Oct. 17, Marine Mammal Center volunteers located RS52 hauled out on a West Maui beach. He was taken in by crews from the center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries, and Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Aquatic Resources, then transported by Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter to Hawaii Island for emergency care.
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.
Officials credit RS52’s rescue to the community’s timely reports and vigilant 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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