Featured Image Credit: The Marine Mammal Center
By: Sarah Sharkey
A young Hawaiian monk seal pup was recently rescued from a beach in Molokai. Rescuers saved the pup after determining that it looked malnourished and distressed. The pup, Sole, is now being cared for by an excellent animal care team at Ke Kai Ola, which is an animal hospital that works with endangered seals.
The pup seems to be recovering well and is enjoying a diet of blended fish to keep his strength up.
The hospital director, Claire Simeone, had this to say about the rescue and recovery efforts, “With only a few hundred monk seals living in the main Hawaiian Islands, the survival of each individual is critical to the recovery of the population. Conservation takes a village. We are so grateful to our partners for their support in achieving our mission, and ensuring this pup made it safely to Ke Kai Ola.”
The pup has been in the best of hands throughout the entire process. The initial rescue effort was supported by both the National Park Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Coast Guard assisted by flying the pup to Kona via helicopter.
It appears that Sole was weaned prematurely which had experts concerned. The pup was watched for several days before it was decided that it needed special attention. The center has rehabilitated 23 Hawaiian monk seals since 2014, so Sole has great chances for a swift recovery and return to the wild.
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