Rocky the endangered Hawaiian monk seal and her newborn pup have been adjusting to life on Waikiki’s Kaimana Beach and should be fine with tonight’s Fourth of July fireworks, but marine biologists want humans to give them at least another 50 feet of privacy over the next several weeks.

The pup, currently nicknamed Kaimana, was born on the beach Wednesday night or Thursday morning and will soon start venturing on its own into the ocean, if it hasn’t already, as it starts weaning from Rocky.

So scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration want the public to keep at least 100 feet — or more than 30 yards — away when the mammals are in the ocean to reduce the chances of Rocky aggressively protecting her pup.

Aliza Milette-Winfree, a marine mammal biologist with NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service, said her thoughts turn to her own daughter, Kala, 2, as she watches Rocky.

“As a mom and as a monk seal scientist, if I saw a pup in the water, I would not want myself or my daughter in the water with that pup because mom is unpredictable,” she said. “If I’m paying attention to my daughter, I’m not paying attention to that mom, who can turn into a mama bear protecting her pup.”

Charles Littnan, lead scientist for NOAA’s Hawaiian monk seal research program, said that humans underestimate the speed of adult female monk seals — especially when they’re 350 to 400 pounds like Rocky and might fear their pup’s in danger.

“When a monk seal wants to move on the beach, it can move quickly,” Littnan said. “Once they’re in the water, they’re like rockets.”

Volunteers with the Hawaii Marine Mammal Alliance originally cordoned off an area 50 feet around Rocky and her pup to keep humans from distracting or harassing the mammals, which can lead monk seal mothers to attack humans or abandon their pups.

It’s a felony under state law to harass, harm or kill any endangered or threatened species. Anyone who harms a monk seal faces maximum penalties of $50,000 and five years in prison.

There have been no reports of human harassment on Kaimana Beach, and so far Rocky and her pup seem to be doing fine, Milette-Winfree said.

“We haven’t seen any behavior that demonstrated any aggressive reaction,” she said. “For the most part, humans have been respectful in keeping their distance.”

But Littnan and Milette- Winfree said the animals now need at least a 100-foot buffer, especially when the pup starts going into the ocean on its own.

“There have been a lot of incredibly respectful people who know about the animals and are doing the right thing, and others who weren’t as aware but are rapidly modifying their behavior,” Littnan said. “We’re hoping that carries through what is a boisterous Fourth of July in Waikiki. There’ll be volunteers keeping watch.”

Rocky and Kaimana should do much better with tonight’s fireworks than the average household pet.

“The concerns are pretty minimal,” Littnan said.

Monk seals on Kauai, where Rocky has given birth to nine previous pups, have been unfazed by “touch-and-go landings” at Kauai’s Pacific Missile Range Facility and by fireworks shows on the Garden Isle, Littnan said.

And Rocky is used to the fireworks show every Friday night off the Hilton Hawaiian Village, Milette-Winfree said.

Milette-Winfree was on the beach Friday night, and neither Rocky nor her pup “had any reaction whatsoever” to the fireworks.

“Rocky’s also really familiar with this area,” she said. “It’s kind of her local haunt. She’s pretty used to those fireworks on a weekly basis.”

Littnan said, “Our history of observing these animals shows that, yes, they don’t respond like many people’s pets will” to fireworks.

Rocky’s pup came out as “a little black, furry bag of bones,” about 2 to 2-1/2 feet long, weighing 20 to 25 pounds, Littnan said.

The pup is now closer to 40 pounds. Next week, after the pup packs on a few more pounds, scientists likely will be able to determine its sex.

Over the next five to seven weeks, the pup will swim farther and farther out on its own until one day, when it’s somewhere around 150 to 200 pounds, Rocky will just abandon it and start feeding again and putting back on her original weight.

“The mother will just wean it,” Littnan said. “One night or morning it’ll just leave the pup there.”

For now both Rocky and her pup are surviving on her “blubber stores,” he said.

“The mom is very attentive,” Littnan said. “Where you might have a lot of stimulus, distractions that would disturb a mother, she seems to be acclimating to the business and wildness of Waikiki pretty well.”