Rescue Stories: Vote for Your Favorite Marine Mammal Patient of 2024!

Chunky - Northern Elephant Seal

Rescued: February 15, 2024
Released: May 8, 2024
Diagnosis: Malnutrition, maternal separation

When northern elephant seal Chunky was first spotted, he was skinny and still had his blackcoat, or baby fur, which elephant seals shed once they’ve weaned from their mother. But because he was alert, our trained responders monitored Chunky for several days hoping for signs of improvement. Sadly, Chunky remained lethargic, plus off-leash dogs posed a potential threat, so our experts rescued this young pup.  Chunky’s experience is not uncommon as harassment from people and dogs is one of the top reasons these young animals are rescued. Luckily for Chunky and pups like him, this can be prevented by keeping your distance and leashing your pets. Once at our hospital, Chunky’s big personality made him a favorite among animal care experts, who were pleased to see him respond well to initial treatment and begin to gain weight. After about three months of care that included a healthy dose of herring, medicine and lessons in “fish school,” he was released back to the wild alongside other rehabilitated seals.

Sandia - Pacific Harbor Seal

Rescued: February 16, 2024
Released: May 9, 2024
Diagnosis: Malnutrition, maternal separation, prematurity

When harbor seal Sandia was brought to our hospital, our veterinary experts saw signs revealing that she was just days old and likely born prematurely. Not only was part of her umbilical cord attached, but she still had a whitish lanugo coat that is usually shed in utero before birth. Since a pup as young as Sandia would still be nursing with her mother in the wild, our animal care experts initially fed her a special formula gently through a tube to ensure she got vital neonatal nutrients. As Sandia got stronger and her teeth came in, she began lessons in “fish school” where specially trained volunteers used tactics like dragging fish on a string through the water to encourage her natural instinct to chase prey. After months of care, Sandia had learned critical survival skills and more than tripled in body weight. Our experts determined that Sandia was ready for life in the wild, and she returned to the ocean with a second chance.

RS10 – Hawaiian Monk Seal

Rescued: March 22, 2024
Released: April 4, 2024
Diagnosis: Trauma, human interaction

At 8 months old, Hawaiian monk seal RS10 was brought to Ke Kai Ola, our hospital that’s dedicated to this endangered species, after he was spotted with a fishing line in his mouth. Hawaiian monk seals are one of the most endangered animals in the world, so each seal is essential to saving this species from extinction. Once in our care, RS10 underwent an admit exam, which included our experts taking a series of X-rays. These tests confirmed this young seal had a fishing hook lodged midway down his esophagus. Ingested fishing gear is life-threatening, making this intervention necessary for RS10’s survival. Fortunately, our experts utilized special dehooking tools while RS10 was under anesthesia to safely remove the ingested hook, allowing them to avoid a more complex surgery and longer recovery for this monk seal. After his procedure, RS10 recovered well and was provided hearty fish meals to help him regain his strength. It wasn't long after that he returned to his ocean home on Kaua‘i.