Known as “Ilio holo I ka uaua”, which translates to “dog that runs in rough water”, the Hawaiian Monk Seal is endemic to Hawaii and is thought have arrived here long before the first Polynesians. In fact, research suggests that the Hawaiian Monk Seal is the most primitive of all seals, and originally appeared in Hawaii as far back 4 million years ago.
Unfortunately these beautiful creatures are now on the brink of extinction and even with conservation efforts, there are only as few as 1100 – 1200 of them left. Fewer than 200 seals live close to the most populated Hawaiian Islands while the rest of them live in northwestern islands which are far more remote and largely uninhabited. Because they are considered critically endangered, there are both Federal and State laws designed to protect them.
With an original population in the tens of thousands, there are number of combined factors that have contributed to their declining population. The Hawaiian Monk Seal feeds of mostly on small fish, octopus and lobsters whose own waning numbers due to over-fishing have affected the availability of food. In a battle to secure the affection of a female for mating purposes, several males will often engage in mobbing which frequently results in the death of the female. If she is fortunate enough to survive and give birth to a healthy pup, the growth of the population is still uncertain as there is only a 20% chance of survival for the offspring. Female Monk Seals are extremely devoted mothers. They nurse their newborns for the first six weeks and won’t leave their pups’ side until they’re weaned. They sacrifice eating this entire time and it’s not uncommon for mothers to lose upwards of 200 pounds as they care for their young.
After their mothers leave them, Hawaiian Monk Seals will actively search for affection from anywhere they can get it. This includes sea turtles and even humans. In a fairly recent turn of events, the Marine Mammal Center was forced to capture and relocate a baby seal that bit two Ironman triathletes in an attempt to play. There is no denying that the monk seals are both adorable and friendly making it inviting for humans to interact with them if given the opportunity. While it can be tempting to feed the seals, this inevitably does more harm than good as they must learn to fend for themselves as their survival depends on it.
If you are planning a vacation in Hawaii and would like to see some Hawaiian Monk Seals up close, you can visit the Waikiki Aquarium and observe Maka ona ona and Ho’ailona, the aquarium’s resident seals.
You can visit the aquarium’s website here: http://www.waikikiaquarium.org
If you’d like to learn more about the Hawaiian Monk Seal and current conservation efforts, visit: www.monksealfoundation.org
