Monk Seal Monday #20: Sleepy Seal | October 2013 | Edition: 1/1 NFT | License: Extended Editorial

While on a remote beach at the end of the road on Kauai, my wife and I were waiting for sunset with a large adult female (#MonkSealR313) resting on the beach.

Her seal resting area (SRA) had probably been set up by the lifeguards at the beach, so it was approximately 10' from the animal, which is much closer than we generally recommend getting to these endangered animals.

After a few minutes of watching visitors to the beach step over the line to get even closer, I couldn't resist getting up and doing outreach, even though my volunteer responsibilities don't extend to Kauai. While watching R313 snooze, I had some very good conversations about how few of these animals are remaining, what the threats are they face, and why we give them space to rest when they haul out on Hawaii's beaches.

After spending twenty to thirty minutes doing outreach with a couple of visitors from New England, connecting over my own New England roots, I was asked: "Not that I'm going to, what do you think the seal's reaction would be if I went over to pet it?"

My response was simply: "Would you go pet a 500-pound dog you didn't know?" Hawaiian monk seals can weigh between 400-600 pounds and have a set of canine jaws. They are an apex predator, and while they often look clumsy or move slow on land, they are very capable of moving much more quickly than people realize.

As the sun poked beneath the cloud layer, and warmed R313, she woke up and looked around at the small group that had gathered and I captured this first sleepy moment before she headed back in to the ocean.

The Monk Seal Monday collection is 20 images curated from more than 10 years of photographing one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world, the Hawaiian monk seal. Only 1,400 remain and 30% of those are here today due to the direct intervention of the organizations working to conserve them. I have spent thousands of hours doing education and outreach as a volunteer on the beaches with these beautiful animals.

I've also been doing Monk Seal Monday posts on social media for longer than I can remember and will continue to do so every Monday. Despite all our best efforts, this is a species hanging in the balance. I hope my Monk Seal post each Monday helps call attention to this beautiful animal and the work to conserve them for future generations. Now, with NFTs curated from these Monk Seal Monday images, I hope to do more.

A portion of the proceeds from each sale in this collection will be donated to the non-profit organizations on the front lines of rescuing this species from extinction.

Jason O'Rourke is an award-winning wildlife and landscape photographer living in Hawaii, recognized by National Geographic YourShot, Outdoor Photographer, Hawaii Magazine, Digital Photo, American Photo, the Los Angeles Times, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, PhotoCon Hawaii, and Turtle Bay Resort.

Extended Editorial License: Can be used to display privately, or in commercial and non-commercial settings, or in groups with an unlimited number of participants. The License includes unlimited use and display in virtual or physical galleries, documentaries, and essays by the NFT holder. Provides no rights to create commercial merchandise, commercial distribution, or derivative works.