Waikiki Elementary students name Kaiwi’s monk seal pup

Waikiki Elementary School students have gifted Kaiwi’s monk seal pup — formerly known as PO5 – with the name Pualani.

Hawaii Marine Animal Response, the nonprofit partner of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, once again worked with fourth-graders at the elementary school to name the female pup.

A banner with the pup’s new name and photo was unfurled on the upper-floor lanai of Kaimana Beach Hotel this afternoon.

With the guidance of their teacher, the students are given information on the pup’s defining physical characteristics, genealogy, and location of birth, which are all taken into consideration before “gifting” the pup with its name.

Waikiki Elementary fourth-graders also named Rocky’s pup, Koalani, who was born at Kaimana Beach last summer.

“Weʻre so excited to welcome Pualani to the family and we can’t wait to watch her grow up into an amazing and adventurous seal!” said HMAR in a Facebook post.

Pualani, who was born April 14 at Kaimana Beach, is now about a month old, and expected to wean from her mom, Kaiwi, in the next few weeks. She is Kaiwi’s fifth pup.

NOAA recommends maintaining a 150-foot distance from endangered monk seal moms and pups both on land and in the water, and that people visit a different beach to swim or surf at while the pair bonds at Kaimana Beach.

Most of the beach has been cordoned off with netting, and state Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement officers are monitoring the site round-the-clock to protect the endangered seals.

NOAA says monk seal moms and pups typically nurse their pups for five to seven weeks.