After spending nearly two years in California, a Hawaiian monk seal is back in the islands.
A Coast Guard cargo plane brought KP2, also known as Hoailona to Oahu Tuesday afternoon.
Hoailona was rejected by his mother, raised in captivity, then released into the wild off Molokai, until he got too agressive with swimmers.
He was sent to a lab in California where researchers say they learned a lot about the seals biology.
"You have a gift here in these seals and this is the only place in the world that they can live," said Dr. Terrie Williams from the University of California Santa Cruz.
Officials say his eye condition improved without surgery, but he is still visually impaired.
He will be quarantined for several months before he’s available for viewing at Waikiki Aquarium.
See the original article at: KHON2 Developing Stories
