Early yesterday morning NOAA Fisheries dispatched a team of recovery experts to follow up on reports of an abandoned monk seal pup in a remote area on Kaua'i.

Spokeswoman Wende Goo said that when the team arrived they found the pup alone on the beach and estimated that the pup is a male about one to two days old. Shortly afterwards, a female and male joined the pup. Attempts to reintroduce the pup to the female were unsuccessful as she exhibited aggressive behavior toward the pup and seemed more interested in the presence of the male. This female is the same one that abandoned a pup last year at about this time in the same location. The recovery team determined that the pup, if left alone, would have no chance of survival and made arrangements to transport it to O'ahu for captive care rehabilitation. As they have done in the past, the U.S. Coast Guard provided transportation for the animal from Kaua'i to O'ahu on a C-130 early this afternoon.

Although an extreme intervention, NOAA Fisheries considers the life of each and every monk seal precious as the population continues to decline at about 4 percent per year. It is estimated that less than 1200 Hawaiian monk seals remain.

NOAA Fisheries is assembling the best team of experts available and is relying on assistance from the Marine Mammal Center, a world leader in marine mammal care and rehabilitation with lots of experience with harbor seal neonates. The Marine Mammal Center also partnered with NOAA Fisheries on the successful rehabilitation in the captive care of monk seal twins two years ago.

"We've never dealt with a seal this young before and are guardedly optimistic because dealing with a neonate (newborn) is tricky business. The animal will be stressed and susceptible to disease so strict quarantine measures will be observed," said Dr. Charles Littnan, NOAA Fisheries, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program.