The Monachus-Guardian — Headlines-News-Articles — 2008-2018
Dedicated to Monk Seals and their Threatened Habitats
WAIKIKI — A Hawaiian monk seal that had a fishhook removed from his mouth on Sunday made his way yesterday from Kalaeloa to Queen’s Beach where he sunned himself.
Kermit, as he is called by the Monk Seal Response Team, looked much better yesterday than he did on Sunday, when volunteers and scientists pulled the barbed ulua fishhook from his swollen mouth.
For two weeks Kermit the monk seal has been swimming around with a fish hook in his mouth. But Noaa crews were finally able to catch him and remove them. Kermit was spotted Tuesday enjoying the sun at Queen’s beach. He still has a scar from the hook. Animal experts are urging fisherman to help protect this endangered species and use barbless hooks. […]
Federal funds will also provide jobs for ocean scientists
Congress has allocated $5.7 million — the largest single-year sum to date — for Hawaiian monk seal recovery efforts.
Next to corporate bailouts and economic stimulus plans, the amount pales. But conservation managers say it will make a great difference for the critically endangered animals, whose numbers have dropped below 1,200 in the wild.
“My reaction initially was jubilation,” said Charles Littnan, lead scientist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries’ monk seal research program. “Then immediately comes the weight of responsibility — making sure that we spend the money efficiently, properly and to maximize impact on the seals.” […]