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Let's Go To The NW Hawaiian Islands
Let's Go To The NW Hawaiian Islands
Let's Go To The NW Hawaiian Islands
state of Hawaii
Since the Monument belongs to us, lets go volunteer, or mlama, our kpuna islands!
Before we can sail, we have to load the NOAA ship, the Oscar Elton Sette.
We also need to watch a cultural training video about the Papahnaumokukea MNM, because these are special kpuna islands.
Were passing the Wainae coast of Oahu off the starboard (right) side of the ship, heading for the NW Hawaiian Islands.
...and computers
On our 2nd day out we enter the Monument; heres Nihoa, the first island.
Now that the Sette is in the Monument what kind of volunteer work could we do?
Monk Seals are the focus of the Settes mission this September.
credit: P. Hartzell
One important task is to help Monk Seal pups. At French Frigate Shoals, pup survival has been lower than any other NWHI location for more than a decade because of....
...unusual predation by some Galapagos sharks. (The next picture will show a Seal pup with a healing (!) shark bite.)
Scientists will capture carefully about 6 Monk Seal pups in a stretcher net like this, transport them by boat...
...to a deck of the Sette where each Seal will be put into a cage and translocated (moved) from French Frigate Shoals...
...to Laysan Atoll, where scientists think the Seals will be safer.
Jessie will also direct the transfer of scientists and supplies from the ship to some of the islands...
...where scientists will conduct Monk Seal monitoring. Theyll walk carefully around each island, and when they see...
Theyll write down their observations about the Seal in their data table, and they might also collect some...
can see what viruses or parasites might be making a Monk Seal sick
or can figure out what prey a Monk Seal ate, from leftover bones and other hard parts in the scat.
This Hawaiian Monk Seal has caught an octopus. They also eat squid, lobsters, crabs, eels and fish. They dont eat very many sport fish, like ulua and ppio, because Seals prefer prey that is slower and easier to catch.
Lets look at some Monk Seal scat (its really chocolate pudding!) to see what kinds of prey theyve been eating.
Lets pretend that if you find a green candy in the chocolate pudding scat, its a bone from this eel:
But if you find a brown candy in the scat, its a bone from a Wedge Triggerfish:
Lets volunteer for the Monument by looking for remains of 7 different prey items in Seal scat.
Before we start our Monk Seal volunteer work -- what is some other work we could do, too?
Heres Verbesina growing with Bunch Grass, the native Hawaiian plant, Kawelu.
Volunteers (like me) help fight invasive plants, like this Verbesina on Midway and Kure...
Theres a greenhouse...
...like Kawelu...
Now the birds will have room to live. These are Laysan Albatross that nest on the islands, but not right now, in September; theyre on land from about November July.
Laysan Ducks are on Midway year around. They need volunteers to help them.
credit: K. Janthansang
Laysan Ducks used to live on most all of the Hawaiian Islands, including the Big Island, Maui, Molokai, Oahu, and Kauai.
X X
But then they became extinct on most of the islands. The only Laysan Ducks in the world were on tiny Laysan Atoll.
What do you think would happen to the ducks if a series of tsunami waves washed over Laysan Atoll?
Scientists thought the ducks might become extinct, so they decided to translocate some ducks from Laysan Atoll...
X X
In 2004 the habitat on Midway Atoll was modified. Sand was dug out and the holes filled with freshwater...perfect for Laysan Ducks!
credits: J. Klavitter
credit: C. Rehkemper
Scientists observed Laysan Ducks (LADU), especially near the hypersaline lake in the middle of Laysan Atoll...
credit: C. Rehkemper
...where the ducks find some of their favorite food brine flies!
credit: C. Rutt
The healthiest adult ducks were chosen, and then fed nutritious food, water and electrolytes...
credit: C. Rehkemper
credit: USFWS
credit: USFWS
When on Midway, the LADU were put into the aviary (large cage) to be cared for.
credit: USFWS
credit: USFWS
credit: USFWS
Heres Aviary seep, where the first Laysan Ducks were released to the wild.
credit: USFWS
credit: USFWS
Laysan Ducks are now doing well on Midway Atoll...well, most of the time.
a poison produced by aquatic microbes that increase in number when the seeps heat up in hot weather.
Sick ducks are captured, wrapped in clean cloths, and transported ...
...to the lab, where they are given food, water & electrolytes and an anti-poison shot...
...and released!
credit: G. Schubert
Part of a volunteers job on Midway is to monitor these endangered ducks to see how well theyre doing. Lets bicycle to one of the seeps and check on the Laysan Ducks.
1. Look at the bottom data table on your paper and find P for Parade seep. 2. Look at this duck and Identify the band color & symbols and... 3. which leg its on. 4. We know this is a male because he has a bluishgreenish bill and bright orange legs.
1. 2. 3. 4.
On the data table find Com for Communications seep. Look at this duck and Identify the band color & symbol and... which leg its on. This duck is a female because she has a pinkish bill and light orange legs. Also, ducklings hang out with females more than males.
credit: M. Kuter
Imagine you are a volunteer on Midway Atoll. In addition to Monk Seal work, youll bicycle around to these 4 seeps to monitor the Laysan Ducks.
RH2
P Com S
SCF reviewers - At the end of the Ppt., I hold up copies of the Laysan Duck and the Monk Seal data tables; I briefly review both. The classroom teacher organizes the students into small groups; each group gets a copy of the Seal data table. Each student group is then assigned to one of about 6 stations around the classroom perimeter. Some stations have Monk Seal artifacts, one has the Jello scat, and each of two have large photos of a duck seep w/accompanying photos of individual ducks w/bands. Students are alerted as to when to rotate to the next station. Let the fun begin!
SCF reviewers - The Laysan Duck activity was done during a September classroom visit, a time when there are no albatross on Midway. During most other months, instead of the LADU, I would do an albatross activity, Find Me If You Can, an activity invented by a young USFWS Tern Island volunteer. I mentored her and we co-authored the unit Find Me If You Can. Please enjoy the following slides, showing some of our activities.
SCF reviewers Thank you for considering my application for the SCF. aloha, Barb Mayer