Hi All,
I uploaded the videos I took yesterday to YouTube. Unfortunately, we didn't have any warning as to when the birth would happen, just one bellow and out came the pup. I would have loved to video the actual birth. The other problem was 5AY's tail was at the waters edge so our view wasn't great. I just saw black under her tail and realized it must be the pup. Right away the pup started moving up toward her head.
The first two videos are short and were taken within the first 5 minutes of the birth. The third video is loooong, about 30 minutes. I just left the camera running while we called people. It shows mom and pup nuzzling and you can see the afterbirth floating away with the tide. I don't know if that would be of any interest to anyone or not.
Diane (Thank you Diane for sharing these incredible videos!!!!!)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
5 comments:
Holy Smokes Diane...Fantastic footage of such an extraordinary, exciting moment. God bless you for your super great, loving moment with two Critically Endangered mammals. Now you've seen everything you need to know of monk seals life. NO wait, you need to enter the waters, take that video camera of yours, and film....the mating ritual. Then you have seen it ALL. God bless Miss Diane...I truly enjoyed your lovely work. Thank you.
Lauray said:
How awesome! Congratulations!
Thank you and thanks to youTube and their editing software.
Ok Barbara, here's our story...
On the 23rd, Karen Turner got a call to check on a seal at TB. She found R5AY looking very pregnant. She told me about it so I went to keep vigil with her for the next two days.
For two days R5AY was either slowly swimming or floating near the birth spot or hauled up on the beach sleeping. It was a real effort for her to haul out. She would haul out a bit and bellow and rest for 5 minutes and repeat until she was out of the water. She overnighted on the 23rd and 24th and would leave the beach at mid morning and return in the early afternoon.
On the morning of the birth she left the beach and started the slow swmims. Karen and I were tracking her between last years and this years birth place assuming she might go back to the old favorite. She swam into the K. pool at one point and we thought that this was it. But no, she left after about an hour and began her slow swimming (pacing?) again. At about 2:30pm she swam toward the K.pool again, which was full of people now and the reef to get in was exposed due to low tide. She swam back to this years birth beach and very slowly hauled out with her tail to the waters edge. Karen and I started roping off the area again. We had just finished and R5AY let out a loud bellow at about 3:15pm and I saw some black under her tail flippers and said, OMG, she just had the baby!
We were expecting some sort of warning so in the end it happened so fast we weren't able to capture the actual birth on video. Our position wasn't the best either with the tail at the waters edge. The pup slipped out into the water and started making its way up to mom head while she watched vocalizing occasionaly. It was so incredible to be there in the first moments and share the experience with Karen.
We started calling in the troups who had already prepared for this event so getting the border up went very smoothely. We even had help from a fisherman who happened by seconds after the birth. By sunset mom and pup were protected and we all left happy and tired.
And so it begins...the longer vigil... I hope we get lots of volunteers to help look after this pair as well as the pup that will be weaned soon at Mokuleia.
Oh Diane, you the best ever!!! For sharing your happy, incredible event...a birth of a Hawaiian Monk Seal...so awesome.
I appreciate your detailed story, I really wanted to hear it. Sounds so cool, wish WE WERE THERE TOO. How many folks can say, I SEEN THE BIRTH OF A MONK SEAL PUP in their LIFE TIME????? Not many, I no tink so.
I watched your videos over and over, so clear, large, and super amazing. A video to cherish a life time...no words can say how precious a moment you witnessed and captured. I dont think I could sleep if we were there...just reading your story fills my soul with appreciation for the life of a monk. They are super cool mammals that I wish all the earth would appreciate.
Thanks for taking us through your experience...persistence and curiosity paid off. Good for you and K. God bless...I appreciate you!!!!!!!!!! Hugs, kisses, B
Thanks Barbara! I wish you had been there too. Diane
Post a Comment