Feral cats also threat to monk seals
Thanks to Pat Hall for writing about the threat of transmission of toxoplasmosis parasites from cats to humans and wildlife. The letter, published in the Dec. 4 edition of West Hawaii Today however fails to mention the danger to critically endangered Hawaiian monk seals. There have been five confirmed deaths of Hawaiian monk seals from toxoplasmosis since 2004. This is a new threat to monk seals, which have inhabited the Hawaiian Islands for more than 3 million years, but are now barely clinging to survival as a result of hunting and other human-introduced changes.
The toxoplasmosis parasite must pass through the digestive system of a cat to complete its life cycle. No cat feces — no toxoplasmosis. The latest addition to the Big Island family of monk seals — a beautiful male pup born on Nov. 11 — is currently being raised by his mom at Keokea Beach Park. The park is open from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily, and the public is welcome to watch the seals from a raised pavilion with an excellent view of the nursing beach.
The community has wholeheartedly adopted these representatives of our native wildlife, and has encouraged protective measures, including a seal protection zone around the beach where the mother and baby seal are resting. With very few exceptions this zone has been respected by visitors to the beach park. The resident feral cats, and their feces, however move freely through the area, contaminating the inlet in which the mother seal is teaching her pup to swim and feed. When it rains, additional fecal material from cats upstream is likely washing into the nearshore waters of the park. With only five or six monk seals currently residing on this island, this one pup represents roughly 20 percent of our local population of the Hawaii state mammal. The last pup born here was tragically lost to the population in October when it had to be removed from the island because of dangerous behaviors provoked by inappropriate human interaction, such as touching and feeding. If people can restrain their impulses to turn every wild animal into a pet and allow this baby to learn to become a wild seal, we just might be able to see it grow up on this island.
Folks, if you want a pet, please adopt a cat or dog from the Humane Society, but leave it at home when you go to the beach. Feeding wild and feral animals is dangerous to humans and wildlife, and could affect the survival of a native species teetering on the brink of extinction.
Doug Perrine
Kailua-Kona