Hawaiian Monk Seal – Nicholas Tyra

Hawaiian Monk Seal (Monachus schauinslandi)

by Nicholas Tyra

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Monachus_schauinslandi.jpg

Description and Ecology

Monk Seals are considered to be one of the most primitive of all living phocid species, with anatomical features resembling those of seal fossils from as long as 14-16 million years ago (IUCN). Hawaiian Monk Seals can live to be approximately 15 years old. Adult seals can be anywhere from 2.1-2.4 meters long, and weigh anywhere from 170-240 kilograms (IUCN). Female Hawaiian Monk Seals first give birth between the ages of 4-10 years old (IUCN). Hawaiian Monk Seals are usually solitary, whether on land or at sea, and rarely make physical contact other than between mothers and newborn pups (IUCN).

https://marine-conservation.org/media/filer_public/filer_public/2015/02/04/littnan_mms_5x7inch.jpg

Geographic and Population Changes

Hawaiian Monk Seal Critical Habitat, Hawaii

http://ecos.fws.gov/arcgis/rest/directories/arcgisoutput/crithab/crithabPortal_MapServer/_ags_map35296af7179c45149155d88603325740.png

The Hawaiian monk seal is a species of seal that resides throughout the Hawaiian island chain. It is not known exactly when monk seals arrived at the Hawaiian island chain, but they possess certain traits that suggest they could have first appeared in the area as early as 14-15 million years ago (FWS). Monk seals are mainly found in one of six primary breeding sites within the Northwestern Hawaiian islands: Kure Atoll, Midway Islands, Pearl and Hermes Reef, Lisianski Island, Laysan Island, and French Frigate Shoals (IUCN). Most of the time, Monk Seals will not migrate and will remain close to the area of their birth.

Listing Date and Type of Listing

The Hawaiian monk seal was listed as an endangered species on November 23, 1976, and remains listed as endangered today (FWS). The Hawaiian monk seal is listed as Endangered C1 (IUCN), and has a recovery priority number of one due to the high number of threats affecting the species, high recovery potential, and possibility for economic conflicts to have a negative effect on recovery efforts (FWS).

Cause of Listing and Main Threats to its Continued Existence

There are multiple threats currently affecting the population of Hawaiian monk seals. Some of the most prominent threats currently include a limited food supply caused by changes in the condition of the oceans that the seals inhabit, seals becoming caught in ocean debris such as fishing nets and lines, predation of seals by sharks, and aggression between sub-dominant male seals (IUCN). Recovery efforts have also been affected by military activity throughout the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, specifically actions such as the development and occupation of military bases before World War II located on primary living areas for the seals. Luckily, most seals now reside in areas isolated from most human contact, although the degradation of structures like these military bases poses a major entrapment threat for the seals (IUCN).

Description of Recovery Plan

The overarching goal of the Hawaiian Monk Seal’s recovery plan is to assure long-term survival and viability in the wild, leading to a delisting of the species to threatened status, and eventually removal from the list of endangered species (FWS). The recovery plan for these seals includes four key actions to point the species towards recovery. The first goal of the recovery plan includes increasing the survival of female seals, especially juveniles, within subpopulations of the species in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The second goal of the plan is to ensure a maintained field presence in the main breeding locations of the seals during peak breeding seasons to monitor and record breeding activities, as well as actively manage and conserve subpopulations of seals throughout the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The third goal of the plan is to ensure continual natural growth of seal populations within the Main Hawaiian Islands by reducing the number of threats that affect the seals, like interactions with fisheries and exposure to diseases. The fourth and final goal of the plan is to reduce the probability of the introduction of infectious diseases to the population.

What Can You Do?

One of the most important actions that people can take to ensure the safety and survival of the Hawaiian Monk Seal is to avoid harmful or negative interactions with the seals. In other words, seals should be given plenty of space and should not be antagonized or interacted with. It is also important for people to clean up after themselves and attempt to limit the amount of trash entering the ocean to reduce the chance of seals being entrapped in debris or ingesting any foreign objects.

http://yourshot.nationalgeographic.com/u/ss/fQYSUbVfts-T7pS2VP2wnKyN8wxywmXtY0-Fwsgxpzk0qKANJWqdPuMi1rWxv-n5VNHL3pUlMUQjFvD0Jr2r/

Other Resources

https://marine-conservation.org/what-we-do/program-areas/mpas/pacific-islands-conservation/hawaiian-monk-seals/

http://www.fpir.noaa.gov/PRD/prd_hms_index.html

http://www.marinemammalcenter.org/science/Working-with-Endangered-Species/hawaiian-monk-seals.html

References

IUCN Redlist – Hawaiian Monk Seal (http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/13654/0) (IUCN)

US Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – Hawaiian Monk Seal Recovery Plan (http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/hawaiianmonkseal.pdf) (FWS)