The Marine Mammal Center and The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported Wednesday that a juvenile female Hawaiian monk seal known as RM28 died at Ke Kai Ola, the center’s hospital in Kailua-Kona, after suffering severe shark bite trauma.
“Our team is deeply saddened to report the loss of RM28, especially knowing that this 3-year-old seal could have played an important role to further boost the population of this endangered species,” said Sophie Whoriskey, the center’s Hawaiian Monk Seal Conservation Veterinarian. “We’re heartened to know that this seal received the best possible care, and her story reemphasizes the importance of our ongoing partnerships to help save the Hawaiian monk seal.”
RM28 was rescued in a shallow cove off the Kauai coast on Jan. 11 by NOAA and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. The animal was immediately brought to a DLNR facility on Kauai for initial assessment and triage care and then airlifted via the U.S. Coast Guard to Ke Kai Ola for further rehabilitation on Jan. 12.
During the seal’s initial critical care period, experts stabilized the animal and began treating RM28 for extensive and severe wounds consistent with shark bite trauma. The center’s experts noted the animal was in poor body condition, administered antibiotics and pain medication, and also took a series of blood samples and swabs for further analysis. Despite the team’s best efforts, RM28 died in treatment on Jan. 16.
A necropsy, or animal autopsy, was performed the next day to determine the cause of death. Experts suspect that RM28 likely died directly from the severe trauma or due to complications associated with the trauma. The center’s team is awaiting bloodwork diagnostics to determine whether the seal also had any underlying health complications. No other immediate findings of significance aside from the trauma and poor state of condition were found during the necropsy exam.
Since 2014, the center has rehabilitated and released 37 monk seals, most of which have been rescued from and returned to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands as part of the center’s partnership with NOAA Fisheries, utilizing resources in the area to identify seals in need, rescue and rehabilitate them, and give them a second chance at life.
The public should keep a safe distance of at least 50 feet from Hawaiian monk seals and report all sightings to the statewide NOAA Marine Wildlife Hotline at 1 (888)256-9840. On Hawaii Island, sightings can also be reported to the center’s response team via 24-hour hotline (808) 987-0765.