Every week-old Hawaiian monk seal pup rests on its mom at a busy Waikīkī seashore – and this photographer captured the uncommon second with out disturbing them

Wildlife pictures comes with an vital accountability: by no means get too shut or disturb an animal simply to get the proper shot.

Wildlife and underwater photographer Leighton Lum stored his distance when he captured the particular second between a Hawaiian monk seal named Kaiwi and her younger pup on a busy seashore in Waikīkī.

The heartwarming picture reveals the pup resting its head on its drained mom, simply weeks after being born. The second was notably particular because the pup marks the sixth Hawaiian monk seal start ever recorded at this location – one in every of Hawaii’s busiest and hottest seashores.

To hold his distance, Lum used a 500mm telephoto lens and 1.4x extender, giving him 700mm of attain whereas taking pictures with one in every of Canon’s best stills cameras.

Lum has spent practically a decade instructing pictures and main expeditions all over the world, utilizing pictures to lift consciousness. Now, his {photograph} of the Hawaiian mom and pup duo has been chosen as a finalist within the prestigious Ocean Photographer of the Year awards within the Conservation (Hope) class.

Finalist: Conservation (Hope) – Photographer of the Year

Gear info
Camera: Canon EOS R5
Lens: Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM + Canon Extender RF 1.4x

The story behind the still
As Lum explains: “Mothers nurse their pups for around six weeks without feeding, losing up to a third of their body weight while the pup grows rapidly before becoming independent.

“Despite choosing one of Hawaiʻi’s busiest beaches to raise her pup, Kaiwi has successfully raised several pups here. It does, however, require the support of conservation teams and volunteers – DLNR enforcement, NOAA and volunteer groups coordinating barriers and round-the-clock patrols to ensure that tourists and locals wouldn’t get too close during such a sensitive window.”

The winners of the Ocean Photographer of the Year competition will be announced in September. The award is presented by Oceanographic and Blancpain.

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