Hawaiian monk seal born on Oahu’s east side receives name from 5th-grade class

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Meet the newest addition to Oahu’s Hawaiian monk seals, Pōhaku!

Read more Kapolei’s community lei stand blooms with local makers — and keiki fundraising

The Hawaii Marine Animal Response (HMAR) announced on Thursday that the first Hawaiian monk seal pup born this season on Oahu’s east side has officially been gifted a name by the 5th-grade class at Kahuku Elementary School.

The name Pōhaku translates to “stone.”

Now officially identified as RV20 with tags V20/V24, Pōhaku is a male pup whose name was thoughtfully chosen by the students after learning about Hawaiian monk seals and their background.

Read more Hawaii overpays SNAP benefits by nearly 10% in 2025

The students who suggested Pōhaku wanted to honor RV20’s grandmother, Rocky, as many of their classmates connected with the idea since they, too, are named after family members.

HMAR posted to Facebook, ”Mahalo to the students and teachers at Kahuku Elementary School for helping welcome Pōhaku into the world.”

Read more Alaska, Hawaiian offer free in-flight Wi-Fi