Officials investigate seal death
Media Watch, Officials probe fourth Hawaiian monk seal death, Hawaii News Now
HONOLULU (AP) – Federal and state officials are investigating the fourth suspicious death of a Hawaiian monk seal in six months after a male seal was found dead in northeastern Kauai. […]
Source: Officials probe fourth Hawaiian monk seal death, Hawaii News Now, 25 April 2012.
New monk seal killing alarms Hawaii
Media Watch, Reward offered in death of Monk Seal, KITV
KAUAI – The Department of Land and Natural Resources is investigating the death of a 3-year-old male monk seal, who was found dead on Sunday.
DLNR chair William Aila said the seal was found on a Northeast Kaua’i beach in an area were seals have been harmed before. […]
DLNR officials say this is the fifth monk seal death under investigation.
Since November, three seals were found dead on Molokai and two have been found dead on Kaua’i.
The reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the monk seal deaths is now up to $40,000.
The anonymous and reward tip line is 1-855-DLNR-TIP.
Source: Reward offered in death of Monk Seal, KITV, 25 April 2012
“Fokionas” reunited with the sea
Press Release, MOm, 11 April 2012
On Saturday April the 7th, young “Fokionas”, the Mediterranean monk seal found at Syros on the 16th of February, returned back to his natural environment. After almost two months in the Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre of MOm in Alonnisos, a healthy and strong “Fokionas” was released in to the National Park of Alonnisos Northern Sporades.
When found at the age of three months, “Fokionas” was weak, very dehydrated, in a bad dietary condition and weighed merely 23 kg. His transport to the Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre of MOm in Alonnisos was deemed necessary in order to ensure his survival.
Under the supervision of the experts of MOm and the veterinarian in charge, “Fokionas” followed a specialized and intensive rehabilitation program that aimed in treating an infection and the parasites that had befallen him. Already from the first days of the treatment “Fokionas” responded positively and ate whole fishes, as he had stayed long enough with his mother to learn the basic feeding and hunting skills.
Upon release, “Fokionas” had reached a body weight of 58 kilos, while all veterinary examinations indicated that he is in an excellent health condition. It should be noted that “Fokionas” was one of the strongest and wildest pups to enter rehab at the Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre of MOm.
Source: “Fokionas” is back to the sea! MOm, 11 April 2012
Monk seal death in Libya
Ibrahem Benamer, Natural Resources and Environmental Science,
Omar Mukhtar University (OMU), El-beida, Libya
On the 25 March in the area of Ain Gazzalla (Northeast Libya near the Egyptian border, 32.23284 N, 23.2848 E) a group of fishermen found a dead female monk seal trapped in their net. The case was reported to the coastguard who in turn informed the National Marine Laboratory. The carcass is now in their possession at the Lab and an autopsy is being arranged during this week.
This event is the only confirmed case of monk seal existence in eastern Libya since Norris 1972 [Norris, W.J.T. 1972. Monk Seals in Libya. Oryx 11: 328-330.], which may indicate that this critically endangered species can still be found in the area or close by, which will support the importance of the area as an MPA.
A report will be issued after the autopsy; meanwhile, pictures taken by the fishermen can be found on Flickr.
Mother defends pup against shark attack
An adult female Hawaiian monk seal protects her pup from two Galapagos sharks at Trig Island, French Frigate Shoals.