[CINC] Monk Seal Deaths in HI

[Deb4nb at aol.com]

Hi All, 
Sharing news:  This article below is from today's Honolulu Advertiser 
newspaper.  
Debra 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
By _Diana Leone_ (mailto:dleone at honoluluadvertiser.com) 
Advertiser Kaua'i Bureau  
 
LIHU'E, Kaua'i — Federal officers are investigating the deliberate killings 
of two endangered Hawaiian monk seals on Kaua'i, and recently scoured a 
white pickup truck in search of a rifle believed to have been used to kill the 
monk seal known as RK06.
The officers with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's law 
enforcement branch didn't find a weapon in the June 9 search, documents in 
federal court in Honolulu indicate. But NOAA confirmed for the first time 
yesterday that RK06 was shot to death. 
Two monk seal deaths at human hands coming just a month apart in the main 
Hawaiian Islands is unheard of. 
The last known case of someone intentionally killing a Hawaiian monk seal 
was in the 1980s in Kapa'a, Kaua'i, according to Bill Pickering, special 
agent in charge of NOAA's Pacific islands law enforcement office. 
Hawaiian monk seals are critically endangered, with a dwindling population 
of just over 1,000 in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, their main home. 
Paradoxically, even as the overall population has reached dangerous lows, 
seals in the main Hawaiian Islands have increased in recent years. 
Because the Hawaiian monk seal is a federally listed endangered species, a 
conviction of harming one could result in fines of up to $50,000 and/or a 
year in jail. 
"This is the second most endangered species of seal in the world," said 
NOAA marine mammal specialist David Schofield. "We can't afford to lose 
individual seals to senseless killings." 
Mama seal shot
RK06, probably in her mid-teens, was found dead at Pila'a Beach on Kaua'i's 
north shore on May 21. She had given birth to five pups in the past and was 
pregnant with her sixth. She was an important breeding female and her death 
was a huge loss for the monk seal population, NOAA said. 
People in the area of Pila'a Beach that day had told The Advertiser and 
federal investigators they believe the seal was shot. A necropsy of the seal 
confirmed that shooting caused its death, Pickering said yesterday. 
Pickering and his team are also investigating the death of a 5-year-old 
male Hawaiian monk seal, RK19, found dead April 20 on Kaua'i's west side at 
Kaumakani. The seal had been seen alive and healthy just one day before, during 
a semi-annual monk seal count. 
Pickering would not confirm whether RK19 died of a gunshot wound, but did 
say its death is considered due to "foul play." 
"Whenever a marine mammal is found dead, we investigate and determine if it 
was an accident or natural causes, or work the case until can determine 
what happened," Pickering said. 
NOAA investigators use the same techniques as police on a criminal case, 
including a necropsy to determine cause of death, and interviewing witnesses. 
"A lot of it's plain old gumshoe-type police work," Pickering said. 
Both the Kaua'i seal deaths occurred in relatively remote areas, but some 
witnesses have emerged, he said. 
The Pila'a Beach witnesses said they saw a man with a white pickup at the 
beach and heard loud sounds like gunfire shortly before they found the seal 
dead in the surf. They didn't see a gun, they told The Advertiser. 
In addition to the two seals on Kaua'i, NOAA's only other active 
investigation of harm to a marine animal in Hawai'i is the slaughter of a turtle known 
as Honeygirl on O'ahu last year, Pickering said. 
Mourning ceremony
Monk seal fans will gather at Po'ipu Beach Park today in memory of the 
slaughtered seals. The 9:30 a.m. ceremony, to be officiated at by Hawaiian 
cultural practitioner Sabra Kauka, will include releasing their ashes. 
Jeff Walters, a marine mammal specialist with the state Department of Land 
and Natural Resources, helped arrange today's simple memorial in cooperation 
with NOAA Fisheries and Monk Seal Hotline volunteer coordinator Mimi Olry. 
Walters called the killings "senseless deaths" and said the gathering is "a 
chance to bring the community together and highlight the good work we do 
together." 
Olry said: "I'm a vet who's cared for wildlife — that's been my career and 
passion. ... It upsets me to think people are not thinking of sharing the 
world with others not like themselves — and not being understanding of why we 
have these other species, the importance of these species to the whole web 
of life." 
Reach Diana Leone at _dleone at honoluluadvertiser.com_ 
(mailto:dleone at honoluluadvertiser.com) .
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