On our day trip along the east coast of Oahu we were fortunate to see one of the most endangered animals in the world. Our guide, Kirk, spotted this Hawaiian Monk Seal sun-baking on the sand at Aukai Beach, Hauula. There are only about 1,200 of these Monk seals left and most of them live on the more northern islands of Hawaii, so we were excited to see this guy. Monk seals don't have external ears and they can't fold their hind flippers under their body to use as "legs" like most seals can. They get their name from their fat body and a head that looks like it is covered by a hood, like the caricature of medieval monks. There is another species of Monk Seal in the Mediterranean, and there was another in the Caribbean but is now extinct. While we were in Hawaii a couple of thugs stabbed a Monk seal to death; locals were keen to knife the thugs. Aukai beach is a typical east coast beach - fairly calm water behind a protecting reef, fine sandy beach with parkland, houses right behind the sand and no high-rise buildings as yet. Add those 3 palm trees and you have the classic tropical beach picture.
Labels: animals, beach, Hawaii
# posted by Bart Bear @ 11:53 am
