Kalaupapas first monk seal pup of the season was born March 20th! Last year this same mom (Q21/22) also gave birth to the first pup of the season on May 16th, 2013. Each subsequent year her birthing date is slightly later until she takes a year off and then the cycle starts again with an early season birth. A total of 79 monk seals have been born at Kalaupapa since 1997. A record 10 pups born at Kalaupapa last year, half of the total for the Main Hawaiian Islands. The beaches at Kalaupapa have all of the characteristics for favorable pupping locations - plenty of shallow areas protected from big waves and predators, minimal human disturbance and plenty of available food in the nearby reef. It is hoped that Kalaupapa will continue to play an important role in the recovery of the critically endangered Hawaiian monk seal, especially given their population growth in the Main Hawaiian Islands. #monkseal #kalaupapa #molokai #hawaii
Posted on: Sat, 05 Apr 2014 16:00:01 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015