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Hawaiian Monk Seal Population Update Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

Hawaiian Monk Seal Population Update Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center. Abundance Trend at 6 NWHI Subpopulations. - 4.2% yr -1. -4.5% per yr. 93. decline. 50. 156. 158. 193. decline. 198. decline. ~150 growing?. 2009 NWHI Pop. Total = 848.

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Hawaiian Monk Seal Population Update Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

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  1. Hawaiian Monk Seal Population UpdateNorthwestern Hawaiian Islands Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center

  2. Abundance Trend at 6 NWHI Subpopulations - 4.2% yr-1 -4.5% per yr

  3. 93 decline 50 156 158 193 decline 198 decline ~150 growing? 2009 NWHI Pop. Total = 848

  4. Births - 6 Main NWHI Subpopulations

  5. Research/Projects • Ongoing Population Assessment • Ongoing Foraging Studies • Shark Predation Mitigation at FFS • Translocations • De-Worming trials

  6. Main Hawaiian Islands Monk Seal Update Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center Photo by DB Dunlap

  7. 93 decline 50 156 158 193 decline 198 decline ~150 growing? 2009 NWHI Pop. Total = 848

  8. 2009 MHI Population Update(excluding Niihau) • 118 seals identified in 2009 • 15 pups born • 12 hookings • 5 deaths

  9. Number of Seals Identified Per Island in 2009 42 35 45 ? 10 1 5 8 • Seals sighted on all islands • Movement of seals between islands common • Uncertain Niihau population

  10. includes Niihau MHI Births

  11. Number of Births Per Island 2009 5 2 6 6 2 0 0 0

  12. 2009 Deaths • 3 Intentional Killings (2-Kauai, 1-Molokai) • 1 pup swept out to sea (Kauai) • 1 pup – unknown cause (Maui)

  13. Monk Seal Hookings 1982-2009 Number of Hookings

  14. Update for 2010 (May) • Births: 5 pups born Kauai=2, Mol.=2, Kahoolawe=1 • Deaths: 4 RTX1 - Molokai (perinatal pup death) RB20 - Lanai (unknown) RH40 - Kauai (unknown) RA14 - Oahu (gillnet) • Hookings: 8 Kauai=4, Oahu=2, Maui=2

  15. MHI Research Activities • Population Assessment Pilot Project • Cell Phone Tags • Health Screening • Genetic Studies: prey analysis, paternity

  16. MHI Pop. Assessment • Pop. Assessment pilot project • 8 week effort between Oct-Dec 2009 • Islands covered: Kauai, Molokai, Maui, Lanai, Hawaii • 48 seals identified • 27 seals bleached • Future plans under review

  17. Photo by: Barbara Billand MHI Cell Phone Tags • Application of cell phone tags over 2-yr period • Attempt to apply 45 tags in MHI • 8 tags applied to date (Kauai, Oahu, Mol)

  18. RI11, Molokai

  19. RI11 Dives

  20. R012, Oahu (4/4 - 4/11)

  21. Kermit heads to Kauai

  22. Acknowledgements Thank you to our many partners including the State of Hawaii, National Park Service, Hawaii Wildlife Fund, University of Hawaii Hilo, Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, U.S. Coast Guard, and City and County Lifeguards. Special thanks are extended to the NWHI field staff and support, monk seal response coordinators and all of the dedicated monk seal volunteers.

  23. Semi-Annual Seal Count • October 16th – counts done concurrently on all MHI • Best estimate of current populations • Important now that populations are expanding

  24. Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) to analyze the environmental impacts of implementing specific management actions and administering the associated research and enhancement program for Hawaiian monk seals (Monachus schauinslandi) in the Northwestern and Main Hawaiian Islands

  25. Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement Enhanced Implementation Alternative (Proposed Action): Include, but are not limited to: 1. Vaccination studies (including potential vaccination); 2. Aversive conditioning (e.g., the development of tools to modify undesirable seal behavior including interactions with humans or domestic animals); 3. Archipelago-wide translocation to improve juvenile survival; and 4. De-worming

  26. Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement Public Scoping Meeting: Thursday, October 21, 2010, 6 - 9 p.m., Mokupa˜papa Discovery Center, 308 Kamehameha Avenue, Suite 109, Hilo, Hawai‘i;

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