Terrie M. Williams was first and foremost a wildlife biologist before an orphaned Hawaiian monk seal worked its way into her heart.
Williams, director of the Marine Mammal Physiology Project at the University of California, Santa Cruz, tells the story of how the seal came under her charge for two years before returning to Hawaii in her new book, "The Odyssey of KP2: An Orphan Seal, a Marine Biologist, and the Fight to Save a Species" (Penguin Press, $27.95).
KP2, short for Kauai Pup 2, was abandoned by his mother at birth in 2008, rescued and bottle-fed by volunteers and released, only to be taken from the ocean again when he became too frisky with humans at Kaunakakai Harbor in Molokai.
Williams was studying Weddell seals at McMurdo Station in Antarctica when the National Marine Fisheries Service asked whether she would take in KP2 at her UCSC lab.
Without hesitation she said yes. KP2 arrived at the lab after a ride across the ocean in a military cargo jet.
KP2, or Ho’ailona (his Hawaiian name), is one of only about 1,100 remaining endangered Hawaiian monk seals. Cataracts that impaired his vision prevented KP2’s release into the wild, and the animal now lives at the Waikiki Aquarium.
The Star-Advertiser spoke with Williams:
Question: You usually don’t like to get emotionally attached to animals in your lab, so how was KP2 different?
Answer: There are certain animals you meet that just seem to connect with humans, and he obviously was one, and people connected with him because of that. What was remarkable was first seeing all these people falling in love with him. I said, "No, this isn’t going to happen to me." In the end that’s just what happened.
Q: So after collecting data, you concluded that Hawaiian monk seals are biologically tied to the islands?
A: They don’t do very well in water temperatures below 60 degrees. It’s going to cost them metabolically if they stay in cooler waters for very long. … We also have some new science that has looked at the diving capabilities, muscle structure and size of the eyes … and (Hawaiian monk seal) eyes seem to be adapted for more coastal areas. This is brand new — we haven’t published that yet. … For whatever reason they’ve become very good at shallow-type water foraging.
Q: Are you happy with his new home?
A: I had thought maybe in one case an open-water pen would have been great for him. Who knows? In the long term maybe there’ll be some new facility, but it doesn’t exist. … The Waikiki Aquarium, because of their interest in research and connection to the (University of Hawaii), is a good fit. With the big window open to the public, it’s perfect for him. He can interact with the people that he loves, and overall, it’s much better than our facility. … He needs to be in Hawaii.
Q: Your book tells the story of KP2, but does it also have a message?
A: If there’s a message or mission associated with the book, it’s simply that I think it’s going to take everyone working together to make (saving monk seals) happen. I hope in reading the book, it will open up the discussion a little more just so everyone understands what seals need to live, and also what the fishermen need to make a living. … Maybe everyone can come to the table.
Q: You spend a few pages talking about the problems with marine debris, one of the reasons why KP2 would have a difficult time in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands with impaired vision.
A: One thing I learned about monk seals relative to other seals is that they’re just so curious. They’re curious about people and anything in their environment, so they become entangled very quickly. … The amazing thing with KP2 is here was this seal who had no experience whatsoever with beach trash … yet if we put objects in his pool enclosure, he would lie on top of it … and that’s what gets them in trouble.
Q: Would it be ideal for Hawaii to have its own research center for monk seals?
A: Absolutely. We’re hoping that maybe through the book somebody will step up and help to create a research facility. You need two things: You want a rehabilitation center for pups like KP2 that get in trouble and need a head start, but you also need the research program to give you the knowledge to know what direction to move with the species … I think everyone is starting to recognize the bits and pieces we find about these animals have an impact on conservation.
