There are many great and sweet Hawaiian Monk Seal mothers which I heard about their stories even I never meet them in person. I met several mother seals in person for past in three years of study about Hawaiian Monk Seal.
Today, I am talking about Honey Girl, R5AY/R5AZ who is a locals favorite and has a nickname “Super Mom” given by the locals.
Honey Girl, R5AY and her 11th pup, Keolakai, RK80/81 (a few days old) on April 15, 2018
Honey Girl showed up on Oahu when she was a young adult and started the production of her offsprings. So, NOAA does not have a record of her birthplace and birthday. It is already over 20 years passed since she showed up on Oahu the first time. She is the oldest female Hawaiian Monk Seal on Oahu. Currently, Oahu has about 40 to 45 seals live around Oahu shorelines.
Honey Girl is a mother of 12 pups so far but most of her pups died very young age. Only left two pups, Momona, RA20/21 was born in 2009. Momona is her 4th pup who lives on Hawaii Island. (She is a mother of three, Manuiwa, RK26/27 was born in 2018, Kaulana, RL50/51 was born in 2019 and one more a pup born in 2017) And Keolakai, RK80/81 was born around April 15, 2018. Keolakai is her 11th pup who lives on Oahu.
In 2019, Honey Girl had 12th pup, Makoa, RL36/37 was born on May 12, a Mother’s Day. He was enjoying his life and he liked relaxing some spots on the isolated beaches. He died suddenly caused by non-illness on November 9, 2019, at only five months and 28 days.
Makoa, RL36/37 on September 27, 2019
After Honey Girl weaned her 7th pup, Kaikaina, RL54/55/L57 who was born on August 25, 2012, she ran into trouble. It was a warm November day she was found by kitesurfers that she was floating in the ocean and covered in green algae.
She was terribly thin and an Ulua fishhook was caught in her cheek. Her tongue was cut by a fishing line and had gotten infected. She hadn’t been able to catch or swallow food for several weeks.
When NOAA received a report about her, Marine mammal experts went to search and found her. She was moved to Waikiki Aquarium and received round-the-clock care for two days. But her injured tongue needed extra care then she was moved to the Honolulu Zoo.
At the Honolulu Zoo, veterinarians performed the first known operation on the tongue of a Hawaiian Monk Seal. They were pleased that half of her tongue was saved.
At first, she couldn’t swallow her usual food of fish, squid, octopus, eels, crabs, shrimps. So she was fed a “seal shake” of ground-up herring and water through a tube.
But on her own, Honey Girl wouldn’t eat small frozen herring tossed into her pool. The scientists were worried she wouldn’t be able to eat fish. If she couldn’t eat fish, she couldn’t return to the ocean.
On Thanksgiving Day, Honey Girl caught and ate live tilapia. She was perking up! Thirteen days after her rescue, the scientists decided she could go home.
Over the next month, Honey Girl traveled far from shore and back again. She was hunting for food. Many times, she was seen resting on the beaches. And fortunately, she didn’t suffer any more run-ins with fishing gear. She was getting heavier and her tongue was healing without an infection.
Honey Girl, R5AY and her 8th pup, Meli, RF20/21 in January 2014. Photo by Kimo Smith
In 2014, Honey Girl gave birth to Meli, RF20/21 on January 10, 2014, who was the first Hawaiian Monk Seal pup, PO1 of the New Year 2014.
The very next year, Honey Girl became a grandmother for the first known time. Her daughter Ua Malie, RT10/11 her 5th pup had a pup named Holokai, RG40/41 on June 27, 2015. Ua Malie died by toxoplasmosis on May 17, 2018, at 9 years and 18 days old.
Ua Malie, RT10/11 and her two boys, Holokai, RG40/41 (born in 2015) and Kahuluokalae, RJ16/17 (born in 2017)
Mahalo Honey Girl for helping Hawaiian Monk Seal who is endangered species by giving birth to healthy pups and raising pups. Please stay good health and live long!
Reference: Honey Girl, the Hawaiian Monk Seal by Jeanne Walker Harvey
You would like to meet Honey Girl? Please join our Learn Hawaiian Monk Seal tour to meet her and learn more details about Hawaiian Monk Seal.
Mahalo for visiting and A hui hou (see you soon)!
