Kaiwi, a 15-year-old Hawaiian monk seal who knows Oʻahu’s south shore as well as the regulars at the beach showers, gave birth at Kaimana Beach at sunset on Sunday. The new pup has triggered a rapid on-beach response, with volunteers and agencies roping off a resting zone while mom and baby enter a critical five-to-seven-week nursing stretch.
In a news release, the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources confirmed the pup was born to RK96, better known as Kaiwi, and reminded the public to give moms with pups at least 150 feet of space and to stay 50 feet away from other monk seals. The agency is also telling beachgoers to keep dogs leashed and to skip swimming near the pair while they nurse, warning that repeated disturbance can prompt a mother to abandon her pup and jeopardize its survival.
Local station KHON2 first reported the sighting and noted that Hawaiʻi Marine Animal Response has set up temporary fencing along the shoreline to create a protective buffer around the resting duo. City and volunteer lifeguards, along with nearby clubs, are helping monitor the area while responders keep an eye on the health and behavior of both seals.
Kaiwi’s Track Record And Why Every Pup Counts
Kaiwi is no rookie mom. NOAA Fisheries lists pups linked to RK96 in 2016, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024, making this her seventh pup and another visible marker of local recovery work. NOAA Fisheries notes that Hawaiian monk seals remain endangered and that each surviving pup plays an outsized role in the species’ future, which is why partner groups keep stressing a hands-off approach during pupping season.
How To Watch And Who To Call
Officials are asking curious onlookers to admire the pair from a distance, using camera zoom or binoculars instead of walking up close, to stay behind posted signs and cones, and to follow directions from staff and volunteers on site. The state and federal agencies also remind the public that monk seals are protected under both federal and state law and that feeding, harassing or approaching them can bring fines or even criminal charges. Sightings or concerning interactions can be reported to the NOAA Marine Wildlife Hotline at 888-256-9840. The Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources and partner groups say they will keep up outreach and enforcement while the pup is nursing.
Public-Safety Reminder
Those rules are not just for the seals’ sake. In 2022, a close in-water encounter at Kaimana ended with a swimmer suffering lacerations after a mother monk seal defended her pup, a sharp reminder that tight approaches can be risky for people and stressful for wildlife. Reporting what you see and giving the animals room helps responders step in when needed and lowers the risk for everyone using the beach.
NOAA and Hawaiʻi Marine Animal Response plan to monitor the mother-and-pup pair daily and adjust protective measures as the youngster grows and starts to move around more. Anyone who witnesses harassment or risky behavior around the seals, or who has photos or video that might help responders, is urged to call the hotline so teams can act quickly to protect both the endangered animals and the community.
