Hawaiian monk seals are the only seal species found in the Hawaiian Islands. They are also one of the most endangered seals in the world.

Hawaiian monk seals are the only seal species found in the Hawaiian Islands. They are also one of the most endangered seals in the world.

Today, there are an estimated 1,400 Hawaiian monk seals left in the wild, but those numbers must roughly triple before NOAA can remove them from the Endangered Species list.



The majority of the Hawaiian monk seal population lives on the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, but they are also found in smaller numbers on the Main Hawaiian Islands. Monk seals face many threats including food limitation, shark predation, entanglement, fishery interactions, male seal aggression, loss of habitat, and disease.



Fortunately, there are many dedicated groups working to protect and recover this iconic species. NOAA Fisheries regularly partners with the Marine Mammal Center’s Ke Kai Ola Hospital to conduct intensive rehabilitation efforts that have helped many monk seals. And every year, field scientists travel to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to monitor the health of the seal populations and provide life-saving interventions and vaccinations.

Continue reading at NOAA.

Image via NOAA.