Actually, we've got two pictures for today - it's a before and after shot. Here's the before:
People standing way, way too close to a Hawaiian Monk Seal.
Oahu, Hawaii
29 January 2006, 12:05:58
1/350 sec @ f/11; Pentax *ist DS; 70mm focal length
Here's the "after":
Technorati Tags: blogpix, kaena point, monk seal, Oahu
Hawaiian Monk Seal lounging on his beach.
Oahu, Hawaii
29 January 2006, 12:06:18
1/350 sec @ f/9.5; Pentax *ist DS; 70mm focal length
The event that separated the "before" and "after" shots was the seal's very clear and very definitive declaration of ownership of that particular chunk of beach.
That particular seal, by the way, is affectionally known as "Stumpy". If you look at a larger version of the first picture (click on the picture for a full-size version), you'll see that his right front flipper is a bit truncated. That, and the large scar on his side, are souvenirs of an encounter he had with a tiger shark several years earlier.
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How often do Monk seals visit Oahu? When I was there (over 20 years ago) you were really lucky to spot one off of Kauai. To have a good shot you had to go all the way to the NW chain. The only ones I've seen were at the aquarium in Waikiki.
Don't you wish your SLR had video capabilities?
Last night on our local PBS' Nature show they showed some hairy situations some nature documentary film makers have gotten into. One was about a biologist who was trying to give the antidote to a tranked elephant. Another elephant stood guard. In desparation they drove the Land Rover up and got the antidote into the downed animal, but the other attacked and pushed the landrover about 50 yards backwards totalling it.
. . . and, as always, please don't feed the animals. And don't crowd them, folks, don't crowd 'em . . .