RB00 continues to nurse PK1, who turns seven weeks old today. What’s more, mom’s still got a supply of fat reserves that could indicate she’ll be around for a few more days, if she chooses.
In the main Hawaiian Islands, female monk seals typically wean their pups five to six weeks after giving birth. Because they generally don’t forage while they’re nursing, moms lose a hefty amount of weight. So much weight that their shoulder, rib, and hip bones will often be visible by the time they wean. We often say it’s starvation that forces a mom to leave her pup. But RB00’s bones are still well hidden under a layer of blubber, seven weeks after giving birth. Of course, it helped that she arrived tipping the scales at who knows what weight–suffice it to say she was a heavyweight. It’ll be interesting to see if RB00 waits to wean until she starts looking emaciated or whether something else drives her to split from her pup.
Meanwhile, PK1 is fat and feisty and starting to toss sea cucumbers out of the water. That means, his innate foraging behavior is kicking in. He still pesters mom for sustenance, though. Watch this slide show for the pair’s latest photos (from volunteer G. Langley). Notice PK1 interacting with a stick in the water.
Kaua'i Seals 