A story in 7 photos This cute little guy tries to scratch his nose with his flippers before resulting to digging his head into the sand to give his nose a good scratch. This is an endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal “hauling out” or sun bathing on the beach off the West coast of the Big Island. It is estimated that there only about 1,600 Hawaiian Monk Seals left in the wild, and only a few hundred venture around the main Hawaiian Islands. Luckily, there population has been increasing as of late, thanks to noaafisheries efforts! If you are ever lucky enough to see one on the beach, be sure to give it space and stay at least 50 feet away from them. If you want more information, be sure to check out NOAA Fisheries’ website for more information about these cool creatures! #noaafisheries #monkseal #hawaiianmonkseal #thebigisland #visithawaii #islandphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #sandybeaches #cute #foryou #artofvisuals #agameoftones #seals