Two bull northern elephant seals clashing in the surf

Photo by Jaymi Heimbuch

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Sea lion and pup sleeping on rocks of Galapagos Islands. Photo by Robert Miller.

This Photo of the Day was donated by a participant in the annual National Wildlife Photo Contest. See more photos or sign up for the 43rd Annual National Wildlife Photo Contest.

Hawaiian monk seal mom and pup by NOAA

The letter, signed by 26 local and national organizations representing more than four million members from Hawai‘i and across the United States, encouraged the Hawai‘i congressional delegation to support federal funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to recover the seal.

Our Greatest Hope

Though its numbers total fewer than 1,100 individuals—and the species is in decline overall—the Hawaiian monk seal is the greatest hope for preserving the genus Monachus. That’s because the Caribbean monk seal is now extinct, and the Mediterranean monk seal population hangs by a thread, with less than 500 individuals remaining. Recent counts indicate that a subpopulation of Hawaiian monk seals is increasing in the main Hawaiian Islands, which is great news for the future of the species. However, this increase will likely result in the rise of human-seal interactions, such as unintentional hookings and entanglement in fishing gear and seal disturbances from residents and visitors. Therefore, additional education and outreach efforts are needed.

Plan for Recovery

NOAA’s Hawaiian Monk Seal Recovery Plan identifies funding needs totaling $36 million over five years, or approximately $7 million per year, for efforts ranging from reducing shark predation and providing emergency care for injured or malnourished seals, to removing hazardous debris and regulating human interactions with seals. But funding for the species has been severely reduced in recent years (a level as low at $2.7 million in 2011), disproportionately when compared to other marine mammals under NOAA’s jurisdiction. The letter urges the Hawai‘i delegation to provide unified support for the appropriation of $5.7 million for the Hawaiian Monk Seal Line—a step toward the $7 million recommended—and $3.3 million for NOAA’s Species Recovery Grants to States Program in 2014. These federal government grants help states to implement priority recovery actions for marine species listed under the Endangered Species Act.

Strengthening the National Voice

NWF affiliates in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, along with the National Aquarium (NWF’s Maryland affiliate), were among the groups that signed onto the letter. The National Aquarium is a strong advocate for ocean health, marine mammals and other sea life. And the Virgin Islands Conservation Society and Sociedad Ornitológica Puertorriqueña Inc. know all too well what’s at stake, having lost their own Caribbean monk seal when it was officially declared extinct in 2008.

To my way of thinking, it is, as our Native Hawaiian colleagues would say, the kuleana, or responsibility, of all Americans to make sure this rare tropical seal, the most endangered marine mammal found exclusively in U.S. waters, is protected and recovered for future generations and for the health of the marine ecosystem surrounding the greater Hawaiian Islands.

Donate today and help NWF continue to fight for wildlife — like the Hawaiian monk seal — across the country>>

When I last reported on our new Return of the Porpoise to San Francisco Bay project, I had just finished running around San Francisco and the Bay Area impersonating a cetacean for our campaign video. I have to admit, dancing underneath the Golden Gate Bridge dressed as a porpoise is certainly a fun experience.

And all of my time in a porpoise costume has paid off. In celebration of Earth Day, The National Wildlife Federation California is making its first donation of $15,000 to Golden Gate Cetacean Research in support of its work to help keep porpoises in San Francisco Bay. It is the first step in a multi-year campaign to raise $500,000 for the animal’s conservation.

Response to the campaign has been amazing, and we’ve had a variety of people make donations large and small. One very dedicated group of school children, Ms. Mindelzun’s 2nd and 3rd grade class at the Wilkinson School, raised over $200 for the San Francisco porpoises and earned a visit from the porpoise mascot for the entire school! Ms Mindelzun taught a unit on the porpoise and I loved seeing all the wonderful artwork by the children on the classroom walls. See the great photos below from my visit to the school.

On Saturday, April 20 I’ll be presenting a check to our partners at Golden Gate Cetacean Research, accompanied by the porpoise mascot, at a special Earth Day Fair hosted by Alcatraz Cruises, another supporter of the campaign. The presentation will be at 2:00 pm, and we’ll have a table at the fair from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at Pier 33 , Alcatraz Landing. Come meet the porpoise and join in the other Earth Day fun!

To learn more about the campaign, visit www.sfbayporpoises.org.

Ms Mindelzun’s class at the Wilkinson School raised over $200 for the porpoise campaign.

The porpoise mascot visits the Wilkinson School

Student artwork from the unit taught on the harbor porpoise

Beautiful porpoise artwork from the kids at the Wilkinson School

Since January 2013, more than 1,100 California sea lion pups have beached themselves along the coast. Photo:National Marine Mammal Foundation

Since their listing under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, the California sea lion population has increased to over 200,000 animals and is thought to be within its “optimum population limits.” Yet the animal still faces threats, such as death from harmful algal blooms and human caused injury. Recently another challenge has surfaced for the sea lion that has scientists both puzzled and alarmed: an unprecedented number of strandings.

The strandings have occurred at a rate three times higher than the historic average and prompted the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) to take the extraordinary step of declaring an Unusual Mortality Event for California Sea Lions since the beginning of the year.

“Unfortunately, we expected NOAA’s announcement and we hope it brings even more attention to this critical situation. Peak stranding season hasn’t even arrived yet and it appears the number of pups that will show up on San Diego’s beaches will go up even more in the next two months,” said NMMF Executive Director Dr. Cynthia Smith

The unprecedented number of sea lion pub stranding has pushed many rescue centers to capacity. Photo: National Marine Mammal Foundation

National Marine Mammal Foundation researcher Dr. Stephanie Venn-Watson is the Chair of the Working Group for Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events. “We’re working quickly to respond to this crisis. The NMMF’s focus is to help save the lives of these malnourished sea lions and at the same time help our colleagues determine what’s causing this alarming increase in stranded pups,” said Dr. Venn-Watson.

What is causing the unprecedented number of strandings?  In a recent briefing, Sarah Wilkin, NOAA Fisheries Southwest Regional Stranding Coordinator, said the origin is still unknown, but the agency is working with a number of hypothesis, including changing environmental conditions that limit prey availability, infectious disease, biotoxins, and pollution. NOAA is assembling a multi-disciplinary investigation team to assess the causes and determine how to address.

California sea lions, once referred to as “dog-mermaids” are a regular fixture on the Golden State’s coastline. Photo: Beth Pratt

And are these sea lion strandings linked to the other unusual marine mammal activity that California has been experiencing over the last couple of years?  Regular readers of my blog know I have been tracking these occurrences, and I was recently interviewed by the Christian Science Monitor on the phenomena. At this point, it’s too early to tell and more research is needed, but Wilkin replied in an interview that “It may be indicating that the ecosystem is changing slightly and the animals are responding to those changes.”

For ongoing updates and more information from NOAA on the sea lion strandings, visit NOAA’s briefing site.

In more cheerful California sea lion news, scientists at the University of California Santa Cruz have trained the sea lion Ronan to bust some moves and dance to the beat of the Backstreet Boys and Earth, Wind and Fire. This is significant because the concept of rhythm was previously thought to be a human trait. Check out the fun video below:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Harbor porpoises have returned to San Francisco Bay after 65 years (Photo by Golden Gate Cetacean Research).

When walking across the Golden Gate Bridge in 2010 with a friend, we joined a group of onlookers gazing down in delight at what we all thought were dolphins swimming beneath the bridge. I snapped several photos, yet it wasn’t until a year later, after meeting marine biologist and porpoise guru Bill Keener of Golden Gate Cetacean Research, that I discovered the significance of my sighting. He identified the animals in my photos as harbor porpoises and related the remarkable story of their return.

Marine biologist Bill Keener searching for harbor porpoises on Golden Gate Bridge (Photo Golden Gate Cetacean Research/Liittschwager)

Click here to view the embedded video.

Aside from not wanting to miss the resurgence of Beat poetry or the great burritos in the Mission, why did the harbor porpoises return? And why did they originally leave? According to Bill, several reasons might explain their reoccupation, including the reduction of pollution in the Bay. But more research is needed and Bill is dedicated to finding an answer, as knowing the cause of their departure and subsequent return is vital to ensure the porpoise becomes a permanent resident again.

As Bill observed, “The unexpected return of these animals provides a unique scientific opportunity. San Francisco Bay may now be the best place in the world to study harbor porpoises. The more we can learn about these animals in their natural habitat, the more we can do to help them survive and thrive into the future.”

To celebrate this success and to ensure the marine mammal’s continued residence in the Bay, National Wildlife Federation and Golden Gate Cetacean Research have partnered on a “Return of the Porpoise to San Francisco Bay” campaign. At this point, the National Wildlife Federation is the only major nonprofit supporting this cause and Golden Gate Cetacean Research the only organization conducting a study. To learn more about the campaign, visit www.sfbayporpoises.org.

Ranger Rick helps celebrate the return of the porpoise to San Francisco with a Cetacean friend (Photo NWF California).

Mini-Moby:the white harbor porpoise in San Francisco Bay (Photo by Golden Gate Cetacean Research).

The entrant must affirmatively agree to these Official Rules  when submitting the entry form for the Contest.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. ODDS OF WINNING WILL DEPEND ON THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ENTRIES RECEIVED. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. ONLINE ENTRY ONLY AND INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED.

Contest only open to legal residents of the 50 United States or D.C., 13 years and older. The Contest begins February 8, 2013, at 10:00 AM Pacific Standard Time (PST) and ends February 14, 2013, at 11:59 PM PST (“Entry period”). The contest winner’s photo will be published on NWF’s Facebook and other social media pages by February 15, 2013. ARV of all prizes awarded: $10.00 Winners may be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility and release of liability and publicity (where permitted). Subject to full Official Rules. Company: National Wildlife Federation, PO Box 1583, Merrifield VA 22116-1583.

Your Photo Could Be Here

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California coastal bottlenose dolphins off Avila Beach in California (photo by Beth Pratt)

Watch a humpback whale surprising a kayaker in this YouTube video:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Last week I visited Pismo and Avila Beaches to check out this new hotspot for marine mammals, all likely attracted by an unusual abundance of fish and krill. I didn’t see any whales, but a viewing of several California coastal bottlenose dolphins frolicing in the water certainly provided a thrill. According to my friend Bill Keener, a marine mammal scientist and member of Golden Gate Cetacean Research, only about 500 of these animals inhabit the entire coast of California!

Dolphin leaping from the water at Avila Beach in California (photo by Beth Pratt)

A friendly pelican posing for the camera at the Pismo Beach Pier (photo by Beth Pratt)

Pelican nap time (Photo by Beth Pratt)

Hawaiian monk seal in its native habitat. Photo: NOAA

Pup Births Fall to Record Lows

The monk seal successfully survived in the Hawaiian Islands for millions of years until it was hunted to near extinction in the 1800s. Today, monk seals are at risk from entanglement in fishing gear and other marine debris, overfishing, invasive species, sea level rise and ocean acidification. But recovery efforts face strong opposition from fishermen who fear the seals’ competition for fish, and others who see any federal protections as intrusion. Adding to these threats, vocal resistance to critical habitat and recovery actions for the seal has taken an increasingly ominous turn. In late 2011 and earlier this year, four monk seals died of suspicious head injuries and a fifth is being investigated. More are suspected of having been killed offshore. New reports from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provide further concern. According to Charles Littnan, lead scientist for the Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program at NOAA, monk seal births in the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) are at an all-time low. Just 105 pups were born in the NWHI this year; the lowest number since records began to be kept 30 years ago.

Recovery Funding Key to Preventing Extinction

The Hawaiian Monk Seal Recovery Plan, released in 2007, identified funding needs totaling $36 million over 5 years, or approximately $7 million per year in order to successfully recover and protect the seal. Though essential to the survival of the seal, these figures have never been fully realized. The Recovery Program has lost 36% of its funding from 2010 ($5.5 million to $3.5 million) and proposed cuts for 2013 threaten to further eliminate key parts of research and recovery efforts that could literally mean life or death to the endangered monk seal.

Data from NOAA show that less than 200 seals live near the main Hawaiian Islands of O‘ahu, Maui Hawai‘i, Kaua‘i, Moloka‘i, Lana‘i, Kaho‘olawe, and Ni‘ihau. Here, the majority of pups born annually survive just fine.  But out in the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands where the vast majority of monk seals reside, fewer than one in five pups ever reach adulthood. Starvation and Galapagos sharks, which come into the shallow waters to prey on seal pups, take a huge annual toll.

Raising the survival rates of female pups to breeding age is key to the species’ survival. But doing so depends entirely on securing critical funding. Part of the recovery plan calls for temporarily moving small numbers of female pups from the NWHI to the main islands for up to three years to support greater survivability. Funding cuts threaten these translocation efforts as well as other important components of the recovery plan. According to the NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service, the survival of the Hawaiian monk seal will depend largely on the stability of this recovery funding over the next several years, making the next 5 to 10 years crucial to the survival of the seal.

Donate now to help prevent monk seal killings and preserve vital seal habitat.

Make your voice heard: Speak Up for the Hawaiian Monk Seal

Right now, Congress is hearing mainly from those who oppose the actions that are needed to save our Hawaiian monk seals. Please take a moment to add your voice to those of us across the nation calling for protection of the Hawaiian monk seal by contacting your members of congress. Take action here to urge your members of Congress to support and fully fund recovery actions that will prevent Hawaiian monks seal from going extinct.

A small group of California sea lions glide through a kelp forest, looking for food off the coast of Santa Cruz Island, California. Photo by Antonio Busiello.

This Photo of the Day was donated by a participant in the annual National Wildlife Photo Contest. See more photos or sign up for the 42nd Annual National Wildlife Photo Contest.