Hawaiian Monk Seal - Austin Cosgrove

“Ilio Holo I Ka Uana”- “Dog That Runs in Rough Water”

Austin Cosgrove

Bio 227

Nov. 28 2016

Hawaiian Monk Seal (Monachus Schauinslandi)

Listed as Endangered

Description and Ecology:

This seal is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, though you are most likely to spot it in the Northwestern Islands that are free from human disruption. It is one of only two mammals that are endemic to Hawaii, and is the only seal found in Hawaii. It is closely related to the now extinct Caribbean Monk Seal as well as the also endangered Mediterranean Monk Seal. How the Hawaiian Monk seal branched out from the other two species can be learned by taking a look at Hawaiian Monk Seal Natural History Timeline. Among the previously mentioned Northwestern Hawaiian islands are eight main breeding sub-populations  where most of the Hawaiian Monk Seals live.

These seals spend about two thirds of their time out at sea, foraging for food either in the lagoons or around atolls that are home to fish abundant coral reefs. Although they mostly hunt for food near the immediate shoreline, they are also known to dive to depths reaching 1,000 feet and feast on crustaceans and eels. Breeding also occurs in the water, but the females come to land to give birth after a gestation period of 10-11 months. The mother will stay by the pup’s side for six weeks nursing it, and will not even leave its side to feed herself. These seals grow to be 375-450 pounds, and about 7 feet in length. The typical lifespan for the Hawaiian Monk Seal is 25-30 years.
Troubling Population Decline:   

Shown in the graph of abundance (population) of the 6 main subpopulations of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, the population has  been in steady decline, and this has been the case well before 2002. In fact, the Hawaiian Monk Seal population has been in steady decline since the 1950’s, when the population was still recovering from nearly being hunted into extinction by whalers and sealers in the late 1800’s. Hawaiian Monk Seals were highly valued for their meat, skin and oil, and due In addition to the catastrophic wipe out of the population, another effect of the bottleneck phenomenon was a lack of genetic diversity. This leaves the remaining population extremely vulnerable to diseases such as a pathogen in cat feces that reaches the ocean through runoff, and has been responsible for the death of at least for Hawaiian Monk Seals.

Main Threats:

Hawaiian Monk Seal caught in a fishing net

In addition to susceptibility of disease, Hawaiian Monk Seals face a variety of other challenges on their road to recovery. Particularly for juveniles, finding food around the Northwest Hawaiian Islands can prove to be a tough task due to competing predators such as sharks, who themselves are predators of the Hawaiian Monk seals and a legitimate threat to population recovery. Another significant threat to the recovery of these seals is due to fishing nets and debris. From 1982 to 2014, 347 seals have been found to be caught in some kind of marine debris, the majority of which were rescued but at least 9 have died. And that’s just from reported entanglements!

Recovery Plan:

Outlined in the recovery plan that was drafted in 2007 are ways to minimize every possible threat to the Hawaiian Monk Seal population and ways to promote healthy growth of juveniles and especially females. The plan addressed ways to limit the crucial threats to the seals, which are food limitations, entanglement and shark predation. This chart is directly from the plan and outlines the cost of implementing the recovery plan.

Other Ongoing Recovery Acts:

Great efforts are being made to help with the recovery of these Monk seals. In September 2014, A Hawaiian Monk Seal hospital called “Ke Kai Ola” (The Healing Sea) opened its doors and has been working hard to ensure that each seal they encounter has the best possible chance at survival and healthy development. The $3.2 million dollar facility is a promising sign for the recovery of the monk seal, as it not only provides care for monk seals in need, but also raises awareness about these seals that are actually showing a growth in population among the main Hawaiian Island.

What Can You Do?

Due to Hawaii being a popular tourist destination, many visitors are not aware of the dire conditions facing the Hawaiian Monk Seal, therefore it is imperative that those on the island know about the situation these seals face. The Marine Mammal Center in Hawaii encourages anyone who spots a monk seal to report it immediately, as well as any entanglement threats to the seals. Also you can always donate to the Marine Mammal Center on their website at http://www.marinemammalcenter.org.

Works Cited

"The Marine Mammal Center." The Marine Mammal Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.

"Protected Resources Division." NOAA :: National Marine Fisheries Service. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2016

National Marine Fisheries Service. 2007. Recovery Plan for the Hawaiian Monk Seal (Monachus schauinslandi). Second Revision. National Marine Fisheries Service, Silver Spring, MD. 165 pp.