Seal

Hawaiian monk seals

(Neomonachusschauinslandi) are also known by their Hawaiian name ?ilioholoi ka uaua, which means ?dog that runs in rough water,?and areknown to bethesecond rarest seal species in theworld.

Hawaiian monk seals undergo various changes as they mature. Newborn monk seal pups areborn black whileolder seals display darker gray/brown coloration on their backs and lighter gray/brown fur on their bellies. To surviveas effectivepredators, theseals have flippers and a streamlined body shapethat allow them to glide through water swiftly, thick blubber that keeps them warm and buoyant, and sensitiveears that allow them to hear underwater when diving at darker depths.

Out of themain Hawaiian Islands, Kaua?i has themost prevalent monk seal population. Occasionally however, a monk seal can beseen on land to givebirth and nurseits pups. Earlier this year in April, a monk seal pup was born at Kamaina Beach on O?ahu and was protected by police, NOAA, the Hawaiian MarineAnimal Response (HMAR), and volunteers for several weeks to ensurethat no one bothered it or its mother. A month later in May, another monk seal was born on Moloka?i at Kalaupapa National Historic Park.

Hawaiian monk seals are considered ?generalist feeders,? meaning that their diet depends on what?s present in their environment. They eat a diverse rangeof organisms, including common fishes, cephalopods, crustaceans, and even eels. Though monk seals can diveover 1,800 feet and hold their breath for up to 20 minutes, they usually divefor around 6 minutes at depths below 200 feet to find prey that hides in thesand and underneath rocks.

Though measures havebeen put in placeto protect Hawai?i?s monk seals from extinction, they arestill considered critically endangered. Currently, the population is only a third of the historical population levels. Besides food limitations, seal populations arealso threatened by issues caused by humans like entanglement and habitat loss. Most significantly, however, the main causeof seal death on the main islands is toxoplasmosis, an illness caused by a parasitethat spreads into theenvironment via cat feces.

Monk seals arenot solely an adorablecreatureto marvel at; they contributeto thebiodiversity of Hawai?i whilelimiting the populations of their food sources. Currently, theHawaiian monk seal is protected under theEndangered Species Act, theMarineMammal Protection Act, and Stateof Hawai?i laws. In theevent that you encounter a monk seal, it is important to admiretheanimals only from a distanceof about 50 feet, or about 15 meters, while keeping pets away from them. To protect this species, it is important that policy makers, scientists, and individuals alikecontinueto protect, study, and respect the Hawaiian monk seal in thepresent to ensurethat this species can thrivefor generations to come.