The Duck Dive: A Fresh New Start

Title: A Fresh New Start
Edition Size: 69 Artist: Jason O'Rourke
License: Extended Editorial

Keola is one of our 2025 Hawaiian monk seal pups, born to Lei Ola (official designation RH48), seen here at roughly seven weeks old. I had the opportunity to photograph his mother the day she was weaned, and spent time with Lei Ola and Keola on my most recent trip to Hawaii.

My trips to his birth beach, to watch the mother and pup pair, and eventually to observe his first days as a weaner on his own, were bittersweet with the knowledge that construction has begun not far from where his mother was born, forever altering the character of this remote corner of Oahu. As we continue to work on educating people about the Hawaiian monk seal, preserving their birth beaches is a critical piece of conserving these beautiful animals.

Each new pup born in the Hawaii islands offers a fresh new start for the species.

Jason O'Rourke is an award-winning wildlife and landscape photographer living in Hawaii, recognized by National Geographic YourShot, Outdoor Photographer, Hawaii Magazine, Digital Photo, American Photo, the Los Angeles Times, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, PhotoCon Hawaii, and Turtle Bay Resort.