Those winds created a rough ocean which kept kayakers and paddleboards out of the water. The minimized crowds on the water meant less disturbance to seal moms during pupping season. That is a very important factor in the survival of seal pups.
“When you interfere with the mom and the pup you frequently just kill the pup,” Akeman said.
Kim Akeman, Monterey Bay Sanctuary Shoreline docent added, “disturbances you may not see the effect right away. But a disturbance on wildlife can have an effect even months down the line.”