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No. 13
  

 

HAWAIIAN MONK SEAL 'IIIO-HOLO-I-KA-UAUA
The Hawaiian Monk Seal is a native mammal species in Hawaii. The monk seal is endemic to Hawaii, which means that they can be found nowhere else in the world.

Monk seals have been swimming around the oceans for about 15 million years. Some people call monk seals "living fossils" because they have been around for so long.

The Hawaiian name for the monk seal is 'llio-holo-i-ka-uaua, which means "the dog that goes in the rough water." One reason they were given the common name "monk seal" was because they look like monks (a monk is a type of priest). Fat monk seals may have a fold of skin behind their heads that looks like a monk's hood. They also resemble monks because they spend most of their time alone or in very small groups.

The dorsal side (top side) of adult Hawaiian monk seals is usually dark grey or brown. The ventral side (under-side) is usually light grey or yellow. Sometimes, when seals have been out at sea for a long time, their fur may appear greenish. The green color is actually algae (a small water plant) that has grown on the seals' fur. Their parents don't make them take baths! Some seals also have one or more small patches of blond fur. These peculiar markings or "birth marks" can help scientists identify individual seals.

 

WHERE THEY LIVE
There are about 1,500 monk seals in Hawaii. Nearly all the Hawaiian monk seals live on the tiny islands which are located to the northwest of the main Hawaiian islands. In the past few years, more and more seals have been coming to the main Hawaiian islands, especially Niihau and Kauai, where there were 14 in the year 2000.

In 1988, a monk seal gave birth on Kauai's south shore. In 1991, two monk seals were born on the main Hawaiian islands, one on the north shore of Oahu and one on the north shore of Kauai. But in 2000, four seals were born on Kauai.

 

LIFE AT SEA
Hawaiian monk seals spend a lot of their time in the ocean. They use their powerful flippers to propel them through the water. When hunting for food, monk seals will dive about 50 times in a day. They usually dive between 5 and 25 fathoms (1 fathom = 6 feet). Some monk seals have been known to dive 400 feet deep. Since monk seals are mammals, they need to come to the surface to breathe air. However, sometimes monk seals swim into caves and breathe from trapped air pockets. That way they can stay underwater longer.

Monk seals need to be good swimmers in order to catch the fish, lobster and octopus that they eat. When a seal catches a lobster, the seal brings the lobster to the surface and slaps it against the water. The lobster's hard shell breaks open and the monk seal eats the meat from the tail.

 

BIRTH OF A SEAL
In the weeks before giving birth, a pregnant seal will eat a large amount of food. This food will be transformed into milk for the pup. The pups are usually born on sandy beaches next to an area of shallow water. This provides protection from Tiger Sharks that might prey upon the young pup.

A mother monk seal gives birth to a single jet-black pup. It usually weighs between 25 and 30

pounds. The pup feeds on its mother's milk for 5 to 6 weeks. During this time, the mother monk seal does not eat and is always by her pup's side. One day, the mother will leave her pup and the pup will

learn to catch food for itself. By this time, the pup will be much larger than it was at birth. A pup gains about 150 pounds in the first 6 weeks of nursing!

 

MONK SEAL PROBLEMS
Sharks are the number one monk seal predator. Many monk seals have scars or are missing flippers because of shark attacks.

A current problem for monk seals is garbage. Rubbish in the ocean or on the beach is a cause of monk seal death. Floating nets or ropes are especially dangerous, because seals get tangled up and drown.

 

In the past, people also killed monk seals. Now, there are laws against killing or harassing monk seals.
WHERE TO SEE SEALS
Most people in Hawaii have never seen a monk seal in the wild. If you are very lucky, you may see a monk seal in the ocean or on the beach. Sometimes you have to look hard, because monk seals often look like rocks or mounds of sand. Sighting of monk seals are becoming more frequent. In the last few years, monk seals have hauled out on the shores of Kauai and Maui. They spend most of the day lounging in the sun. You can also see monk seals at Waikiki Aquarium and Sea Life Park on the island of Oahu.
 
IF YOU SEE A MONK SEAL
If you come across a monk seal at the beach, do not get too close! Monk seals spend most of their time in the water. When they come ashore, they need to rest. While on the shore, they may look sick or dead, but they are probably just resting. Looks can be deceiving, so

beware . . . those teeth can bite hard.

Also, monk seals are an endangered species, which means they are in danger of extinction. Because they are on the endangered species list, they are protected by a law that requires people to stay at least 100 feet away from monk seals and to not harass seals. Seals need their peace and quiet, like people. If you see someone bothering a seal, tell them to leave it alone or call a wildlife official.