A week-old Hawaiian monk seal pup rests on its mother at a busy Waikīkī beach – and this photographer captured the rare moment without disturbing them

A black sea lion pup resting its head on the sandy head of its mother lying on the beach — At a safe distance at busy Kaimana Beach in Waikīkī, wildlife photographer Leighton Lum captured a tender moment between a Hawaiian monk seal and her young pup – an image now named a finalist in the Ocean Photographer of the Year competition (Image credit: Leighton Lum / Ocean Photographer of the Year)

Wildlife photography comes with an important responsibility: never get too close or disturb an animal just to get the perfect shot.

Wildlife and underwater photographer Leighton Lum kept his distance when he captured the special moment between a Hawaiian monk seal named Kaiwi and her young pup on a busy beach in Waikīkī.

The heartwarming image shows the pup resting its head on its tired mother, just weeks after being born. The moment was particularly special as the pup marks the sixth Hawaiian monk seal birth ever recorded at this location – one of Hawaii's busiest and most popular beaches.

Finalist: Conservation (Hope) – Photographer of the Year

Canon EOS R5 sensor — Review insight: "As a stills camera, the Canon EOS R5 is still one of Canon's finest products ever. It’s the perfect amalgamation of the earlier EOS R’s form, the EOS 5D’s function, and the professional-grade autofocus of the EOS-1D X" (Image credit: James Artaius / Digital Camera World)

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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Kim is a photographer, editor and writer with work published internationally. She holds a Master's degree in Photography and Media and was formerly Technique Editor at Digital Photographer, focusing on the art and science of photography. Kim covers everything from breaking industry news and camera gear to the stories shaping photography today. Blending technical expertise with visual insight, she explores photography's time-honored yet ever-evolving role in culture.