ʻĪlioholoikauaua Over the Pinnacle

Far out in Papahānaumokuākea, an ʻīlioholoikauaua tips downward and glides over a coral pinnacle. Bubbles rise behind its silver body while sunlight reaches into clear blue water.

The young seal moves with easy curiosity through one of the most protected ocean places on Earth. Here, distance and care give rare Hawaiian life room to rest, hunt, and play.