Opala(trash) O- paul- ah

On Sunday morning I walked the beach of Waimea Bay on the North Shore of Oahu, I was on my usual mission, picking up Opala(trash) off of the beach.. There wasn't much, someone had already been there before me. The water at the Bay was not clear so i left....





Fast forward to Monday morning 24 hours later... A beautiful, very endangered Hawaiian Monk seal was sleeping on shore at Waimea Bay, his head resting on a piece of OPALA!(trash). In a 24 hour period a beach goer had left a piece of trash on the sand..





It is against the law to get closer than 100 yards from these guys so it is important we keep Opala(trash) off the beach before they get there! You can imagine my reaction... are we not as humans smart enough to get our Opala(trash) into its proper receptacle?


Part of the problem here I feel, is that people are not aware that a Monk Seal may rest here. We all, myself included have come to live our lives so far removed from nature that we exist without this planet in our thoughts and in our hearts. I posted this picture on a local news stations website hoping to get the word out that these beautiful animals rest here at the Bay.

This particular seal is thin folks. I sent the pictures I took to NOAA here on the island. They monitor these extremely endangered animals. They are very near to becoming extinct. Sitting near one, this early in the morning, took my breath away. I told him i was glad to meet him, and that i had his picture so people would know he had lived on this planet , in our ocean.





The one thing we all have in common as humans is our Opala (trash).
Even if you live nowhere near these islands keeping track of your Opala (trash) is important. Next time a piece of Opala(trash) gets away from you, please make the effort to go get it. Somewhere , someplace on this planet, an endangered animals life will be made so much safer!








I am an island gal.......

Comments

Firefly the Travel Guy said…
People are irresponsible things and seldom thing further than their noses are long when it comes to just dropping a piece of opala.
May 18, 2011 at 11:10 PM
Leilani Tresise said…
yes Fire yes! love ur use of the word! =0)
May 22, 2011 at 10:37 PM
Nancy said…
Wonderful reminder, leilani!
May 23, 2011 at 8:48 AM
Leilani Tresise said…
welcome Nancy! been loving ur posts!
May 28, 2011 at 10:19 AM
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