The Hawaiian monk seal is one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world (there are about 1,400 in the wild now), the rarest seal or sea lion in US waters, and only one of two mammal species native to Hawaii. So it’s even more unusual that this female Hawaiian monk seal, tagged RH58 but nicknamed “Rocky,” has given birth on one of Oahu’s busiest beaches.

Rocky’s nine previous pups were born on Kauai, but this little one, pup No. 10 (no one has given it a name yet that we know of but we’re voting for “Kai” after Kaimana Beach, where the pair are located) has quickly become a celebrity, with people lining the safety barricades for a glimpse of the little dark head and flippers playing beside its mother’s bulk.

Photo: Tracy Chan/HAWAII Magazine

Hawaiian Monk Seal Recovery Program coordinator Angela Amlin says the pup was born on Kaimana Beach late Wednesday or early Thursday morning.

Photo: Tracy Chan/HAWAII Magazine

The pair are expected to stay on the beach for about 40 days, as the pup matures enough for a longer journey in the ocean.

Fun fact: In Hawaiian, monk seals are referred to as "llio holo i ka uaua," meaning "dog that runs in rough water."

Barricades have been set up around the pair.

Photo: Tracy Chan/HAWAII Magazine

Hawaiian monk seals are listed as endangered on the U.S. Endangered Species List and the State of Hawaii’s Endangered Species List, and also protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. If you are fortunate enough to see a seal on the beach or in the water in Hawaii, NOAA lists these guidelines for safe viewing of the rare creatures.