Meeker - National Geographic Kids Chapters: Rhino Rescue: And More True Stories of Saving Animals

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Trade paperback

ISBN: 978-1-4263-2311-9

eBook ISBN: 978-1-4263-2313-3

Reinforced library edition

ISBN: 978-1-4263-2312-6

v3.1

Honey Girl, a Hawaiian monk seal, looks back before diving into the ocean.

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Having hauled out on a sandy beach in Hawaii, this female monk seal warms herself in the sun.

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November 2012

Oahu, Hawaii

A kite surfer squinted into the sun. The waves were pretty good that day off the northeastern coast of Oahu (sounds like oh-WAH-hoo) in Hawaii. Suddenly, something caught his eye. There, bobbing in the waves just ahead of him, was a strange sight.

It looked like a monk seal. But this monk seal was green. And it wasnt moving. It looked like the seal was tangled up in something. The surfer wasnt sure what was going on, but one thing was clear: This seal was in trouble.

Did You Know?

Hawaiian monk seals get their name from the soft folds of fur around their necks. People used to think these folds looked like the hood on a monks robe.

When the surfer reached land, the first thing he did was call the Hawaiian monk seal hotline. The hotline is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Service. He described what hed seen to wildlife biologist Tracy Mercer. Tracy is in charge of NOAAs monk seal search and rescue operations on the main Hawaiian Islands. Since 2002, shes been working with a team of NOAA scientists, staff, and volunteers to keep track of this endangered population of Hawaiian monk seals. The team also rescues injured seals so they can be treated and returned to the wild. Tracy sent a search team to the spot where the surfer had seen the seal. They found nothing.

Five days later, a NOAA response team volunteer sent photos of a monk seal lying on a beach not far from where the injured seal had first been spotted. The seal was dangerously thin, and it looked green.

Tracy studied the photo. Her heart sank as she read the tag on the monk seals flipper: R5AY. She knew this seal. It was Honey Girl, a 17-year-old female. Honey Girl was well known to the NOAA staff and volunteers.

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Monk seals are native to Hawaii. They arent found anywhere else in the world. The northeastern coast of Oahu is known for its big waves and rough water. When storms roll in from the Pacific Ocean, most animals take cover. But the monk seal is built for this rugged environment. It has a sleek, barrel-shaped body and powerful back flippers. It can glide through strong ocean currents and dive deep for food. Ancient Hawaiian legends called the monk seal