The city has stepped up lifeguard patrols of Kaimana Beach following recent dangerous interactions with a highly protective monk seal mom and her pup.
The latest incident occurred Saturday when Rocky — the Hawaiian monk seal who gave birth to her latest pup at the popular Waikiki beach July 9 — chased a man holding a toddler out of the water.
The week before, a 60-year-old female swimmer from California endured cuts to her face, back and arm after the animal moved aggressively at her.
Following Saturday’s incident, roving city lifeguard patrols were directed to spend more time at the beach, Honolulu city spokesman Scott Humber said Monday.
Although some have called for a complete shutdown of the beach while the seals are there, Humber said the city is forbidden to do so under the state Constitution. “Even under the revised rules during COVID when the beach parks were closed, people still had the right to traverse to go to the ocean,” he said.
Both the state Department of Land and Natural Resources and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said they were looking at safety issues surrounding the Kaimana monk seals Monday but had no comment.
Veteran monk seal volunteer Melina Clark, said she wishes the beach would be shut down for the safety of both people and the seals. But if that’s not possible, lifeguards should move to get people out of the water as soon as the seals head into the surf.
“When they’re in the water, it’s way too late,” Clark said. “They’ve got to be more proactive, or someone else is going to get hurt.”
Rocky, also known as RH58, and her pup, PO8, are expected to continue nursing at Kaimana Beach for the next couple of weeks, according to NOAA.
When the pup weans, officials are likely to relocate the young male to a more remote location as they did with two other pups born at Kaimana Beach in recent years.
Until then NOAA urges people to avoid any kind of interaction with the seals.
“Hawaii has so many amazing beaches: Choose to use another area for water activities for the 5 to 7 weeks that monk seal pups nurse,” the agency said last week in a posting.
“And if you’re in an area where mother seals with pups have been spotted, we urge you to stay at least 150 feet away from mother seals with pups on land and in the water.”
NOAA and its response partner, Hawaii Marine Animal Response, have posted warning signs and protective fencing at Kaimana Beach since the day the pup was born.
