Endangered Hawaiian monk seal gives birth as officials close off popular Waikiki beach
Officials this week fenced off a large stretch of a popular Hawaiian tourist destination to deter curious sightseers from getting too close to an endangered seal and her days-old pup.
There are fewer than 1,600 Hawaiian monk seals in the wild and it's a felony to disturb them, which is why officials have closed Kaimana Beach – a favorite spot for locals and visitors of the Waikiki neighborhood – where the seal, named Kaiwi, gave birth on April 14.
This is the 12-year-old mother's fifth pup born.
A temporary fence was erected "to promote public safety and seal protection during the nursing period," Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resource (DLNR) tweeted.
"This is an important time for the pair, and we want to ensure (Kaiwi) remains with her pup, and the pup gets the nutrition it needs to develop properly," NOAA fisheries said in a statement.
Scientists said they expect her and her pup to stay together at Kaimana for about 5 to 7 weeks while the baby nurses.
Officials will safeguard seals while they swim, too, by riding watercrafts to keep people outside a 50-yard protective area around the animals.
More: Swimmer attacked by endangered Hawaiian monk seal mother protecting her pup, video shows
"Mother seals can be very protective of their pups and have bitten and seriously injured swimmers in the past. They can be difficult to spot in the water and can move very fast in their natural habitat," DLNR said.
Officials encourage people to use other areas for beach and ocean recreation.
Contributing: Associated Press
Camille Fine is a trending visual producer on Paste BN's NOW team.
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