Rescued Hawaiian monk seals released after receiving life-saving care

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Four rescued Hawaiian monk seals were recently released back into the wild.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries said the seals received care at the Marine Mammal Center’s Hawaiian monk seal hospital in Ke Kai Ola.

Seals DT46, a male, and DT48, a female, were rescued by NOAA’s seasonal field camp staff in Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, officials said.

Both pups were underweight and had a 1% chance of survival. They were treated for malnourishment and gastrointestinal parasites before being released earlier this month, NOAA said.

Officials said that R419 was also malnourished and had multiple infected injuries along with large and small abscesses on his back.

There were also traumatic injuries on his right front flipper that caused the partial loss of his middle digit and fractures to four of the five digits. He was released after treatment in April, NOAA said.

RS52 was rescued on Maui after being observed losing weight at an alarming rate and treated for malnourishment and gastrointestinal parasites, officials said.

He was released in January and has since been seen around the south shores of Maui and recently on Lanai, where he was born in 2023, NOAA said.

Monk seals in need of help can be reported to NOAA’s Marine Wildfire Hotline at (888) 256-9840.

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