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Infections caused
monk seal’s death
on KauaiQuestion: What ever happened to the investigation into how Lucky the monk seal died?
Answer: Lucky the monk seal, who was found dead on a beach in Kapaa on Jan. 22, apparently died of infections to the brain, lungs and other organs, according to preliminary laboratory tests received this week by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
NOAA spokeswoman Delores Clark said tissue samples are being sent to three other laboratories in an attempt to learn more about Lucky's death. A seal found dead on the Big Island last year also apparently died of infections, she said.
There does not appear to be any link between Lucky's death and its frequent begging for food from humans, Clark said.
Lucky had been living on the Kauai coast for about a year. He was frequently spotted begging from boaters at Port Allen and Nawiliwili Harbor.
Local fishermen who frequently fed him at Kapaa named him Lucky because his many scars made it clear he had survived some serious injuries in the past.
Biologists rarely are able to study older monk seals to determine the cause of death. On average, only one dead seal is found every year in Hawaii, and most are too decomposed to be of use to biologists, according to NOAA marine biologist Brad Ryon.
Lucky had hauled himself up on a beach before dying. His body was discovered soon afterward, and it was quickly packed in ice so it could be studied.
Lucky's exact age could not be determined, but he was an old seal, weighing about 425 pounds, Ryon said. The normal life span for a monk seal is believed to be 25 to 30 years.
Lucky, who was called K07 by NOAA, never was tagged, but was easy to identify because of his many scars, Ryon said.
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