This week, a large section of Kaimana Beach in Waikiki, a bustling area of Honolulu, was closed to tourists. The local administration took these measures to protect a Hawaiian monk seal named Kaivi and her pup.
Caiman Beach is located next to the hotel and is a favorite spot for swimming and sunbathing among locals and visitors alike. About six years ago, monk seals began coming here to breed. This has once again created a conflict between nature and humans.
And last year, a tourist got too close to a female with a puppy. As a result, the mother dragged him underwater, leaving cuts on the face, arms, and back of the 60-year-old man. So this year, officials cordoned off twice as much of Cayman Beach. The area is expected to be closed for 5-7 weeks while Kayvi feeds her baby.
In previous years, employees of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration relocated young seals after they were weaned and abandoned by their mothers. Biologists and veterinarians took them to remote corners of Oahu, where the animals could grow up with other wild monk seals without much interaction with humans.
Today, Hawaiian monk seals are on the brink of extinction. There are fewer than 1,600 remaining in the wild. As a result, they are protected by the state, and disturbing them is a criminal offense.
