The US Coast Guard and wildlife officials transported a monk seal on Wednesday, August 9, from its home in Kona, Hawaii, to a new home in the open ocean after the animal was treated after a rescue in May.

A Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules took the animal to Honolulu to start its journey back to the wild. Hawaiian monk seals are endemic to Hawaii’s islands and, along with the Mediterranean monk seal, are one of only two remaining monk seal species on the planet. The animal is the rarest seal in US waters, according to The Marine Mammal Center.

This video and accompanying images show the preparation for the flight and the seal being loaded aboard. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and The Marine Mammal Center collaborated with the Coast Guard on the airlift.

The Coast Guard said it has successfully rehabilitated and released more than 15 young Hawaiian monk seals as part of a project to help restore the species’ stability. The agency said it transports six marine mammals a year in conjunction with other missions. Credit: USCG Hawaii Pacific via Storyful