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What’s A Sea Treasure
That Barks?
By: Zariah
“Brraa!”
“Brraaah!”
Two Hawaiian
monk seals bark and laugh in sounds, like gargling mouthwash, that boom across the sea. These young “pups” play
ball with a floating coconut in the warm, blue water. They bounce it to and fro on whiskered noses. At four weeks old, they
still have patches of black baby fur.
One gray,
seven-foot mama seal watches from a rocky reef. The pups ride a wave together to shore. They splash in the surf with joy.
But this
beach has humans and dogs. Monk seals need space to stay rested and healthy. Curious, the pups start toward the humans. Luckily,
one human child knows better, and tells the other humans, “Let’s keep quiet and far from these seals, or they’ll
get sick.”
Another
mama seal swims gracefully nearby, wagging her tail flippers.
“Bwaaaa!”
she belches a call.
Her pup
swivels around and darts to her. He swims alongside, hugging her with his neck. Mama swims from the rocks and her pup follows
to private shores. Humans watch through binoculars, hearing their barks. “We’re lucky to see them living wild!”
Clumsy
on land, the seals wiggle and flop, hauling trails through wet sand. They plunk heavy bodies down. Phoomp!
One mama
sneezes tremendously. Tiny bugs tickle her nostrils. The other heaves a soggy snort!
Pups roll,
tumble, clap flippers, and play patty-cake. “Bwop-bwop-bwop,” they gurgle.
Hungry,
each bounces toward the wrong mama for milk. Mamas nurse them anyway.
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| Illustration by: Zariah |
Two weeks pass. Mamas are starved; they must go eat.
Pups learn
to feed themselves. Fat from milk, they sleep and play. Later, they hunt sea cucumbers.
They catch
fish. They dive far for lobster, octopus, and eels, holding their breath twenty minutes.
Five years pass. A male seal cruises offshore, seeking females. “Bwoop-bwoop!”
“Baaaah!”
the male onshore gutters back. After quick fights, the male cruiser chases the land male away.
Female
and male rest. He nuzzles her, bwopping
softly.
They drag
into sea. They spin circles, and play tag. He bites her back; they mate.
In springtime,
the pregnant female eats until fat and full of milk.
She finds
calm, safe shores, giving birth to a glossy, wet black pup.
Mama nuzzles
pup. “Bwaaaah!”
“Bwa!”
Did you
know that Hawaiian monk seals are endangered, living treasures? Only 1,200 remain. They are endemic, unique to Hawaii.
How
can we help them stay living? Let’s never litter, and remember our seal friends need their clean, peaceful home.
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