Thank you Team Billand. These are some great shots... shows how resourceful these critters can be.... Here RO29 caught us in some tree roots and she gnaws through.
I'm out of here
weird looking marking... maybe some scrapes from the reef?
phew... those root chips giving me indigestion
Nothing like a dip to make you feel better
Team Billand hard at work
Sometimes you just have to let the people cross over quickly.
Then again if it happens over and over, the seal is going to notice.
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2 comments:
From 6am to 9am we took care of R028 as she is suppose to begin a molt. Well the little girl hasnt started YET. This is going to be a longggggg session with tons of tourists daily coming over to see this beautiful seal known as POHAKU.
We tried getting volunteers out, Linda Stenton did a good job and stayed till 10:30am. All was good she said.
No one to watch the seal between 10:30 to 2pm. Got a report folks were laying next to her taking photos and the seal had moved way away from her protection zone.
Got back to site at 2pm and R028 was 200 feet from her original site. We scrambled to get the signs around her, only this time the tide was rough and high, hitting R028 around, passing the Naupaka Bushes. This site is tricky and dangerous as seal lays up near the Naupaka Bushes, and of course the tourists have to get to the other end at Paradise Cove. Photographers need to pass also. So we WARN tourists and photographers of the dangers with the huge waves and our innocent seal a sleep on shore. If they MUST PASS, then go, time the waves and dont stop in front of the seal. Keep moving FOLKS!! But the people pass, mid way, stop to take a photo close up of the seal. This disturbs her, waves crash on shore, slamming the tourists, getting them wet. Now these guys got their belongings and cameras...they can get knocked around. We watch, we warn, poor seal gets startled all the time, jumping in the air, posturing etc. Not a good thing!! I call ask Dana for help, TRY ASK THE CAMPBELL ESTATE,which is privately owned site...if we can allow the folks to pass on their property, JUST TEMPORARILY, till the tide subsides or the seal moves. I waited, then got anxious, called Security out. They met with me, I showed them the situation, but, in the end, the answer was NO, No ONE CAN GO ON THIS PROPERTY. So I said, then we need to let the folks pass in the dangerous surf, IN FRONT OF THE SEAL. YEP, that will be ok. ( AH NO, THAT WILL MEAN FOLKS PASS our seal REALLY CLOSE. And they are in danger of getting washed off in the water). Its a 2.5 high tide.
Well, every thing we said happened, and it was frustrating to see Pohaku jumping in the air as folks passed. At times she postured and whooped..AND...Folks stopped to take her photo, folks got slapped with the huge waves..
Finally after a few hours of this, Pohaku galumphed about a hundred feet back to her original spot. By this time, there are 90 people at her site, all around her. We put the signs here and there, keep adjusting them, trying to keep folks behind the signs, keeping them quiet as Pohaku galumphs her way back. She stays close to the bushes, runs into a tree root, bites at it, goes through up to her neck, tosses her head up in the air, trying to get through, gnawing at the root that she finally bites through...continues her galumph, looking at all the people around her. She even plowed through the bushes, biting at it.
More people arrive, as the sun is now setting..Such a beautiful site really. Ok, sun sets, but the people still hang out, a man arrives with a huge handsome DOG, but on leash. Ok, we are tired, hungry and thirsty...we are just going to LEAVE. We advise one last time, to keep away from the seal Please...and we are gone...its now 8pm!!!
Attempts are being made to work with the caretaker at the Campbell Estate. They are VERY reluctant and most likely WILL NOT allow people on their property. Visitors bypass a sign that says "private property" to get to Secret Beach. I am awaiting a call from Campbell folks to see what we can all do to work together and protect their land and the seals. The public may not like the outcome as the massive groups should not be traversing this property line AT ALL to get to the beach. Will keep everyone updated as soon as the caretakers at Campbell get back to me.
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