Hawaiian monk seal gives birth at Kaimana Beach

NOAA Fisheries announced that Hawaiian monk seal Kaiwi has given birth to a pup at Kaimana Beach in Waikīkī on O‘ahu.

This is the fifth pup born to Kaiwi (also known as RK96), and the second that she has birthed at Kaimana Beach. She had all of the others along the Kaiwi coastline, Oʻahu, where she was born, according to NOAA.

The public is asked to give the pair at least 150 feet of space as they nurse in the area for the next 5–7 weeks.  The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority is advising beachgoers to avoid Kaimana Beach and instead enjoy one of the many other beaches across Oʻahu.

According to NOAA, mother seals can be very protective of their young and may bite if they view someone as a threat.

Hawaiian monk seals are an endangered species, with fewer than 1,600 individuals left. They are native to Hawaiʻi and are found nowhere else in the world.