Hawaiian Monk Seal ashley arias
Life History:
Description- ¨lilo holo l ka uaua¨ directly translates to ¨dog that runs through water¨. The Hawaiian Monk seal is one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world. It is also one of the rarest seal or sea lion in United States waters. It weighs between 375-450 pounds and grows to be about 7-.7.5 feet in length. Females tend to be slightly larger than males. When pups, they are around 35 pounds at birth and have a length of 3 feet. Their appearance is a silvery-grey color on their backs with a lighter and creamier coloration on their underside. Newborns are usually black. There may be additional light patches, along with red and green coloration from the attached algae that are common. As the seals age, their color becomes darker, especially in males. Hawaiian monk seals are known to live between 25-30 years.
Geographical Range- Hawaiian Monk Seals range is within the US waters. The majority of these Monk seals live in six breeding subpopulations in the Northwestern Islands of Hawaii. Monk seals mostly reside in warm subtropical waters and spend two thirds of their time at sea. Smaller breeding subpopulations occur on Necker Island and Nihoa Island. Monk seals have been found in Gardner Pinnacles and Maro Reef. They have been also recently found on the main Hawaiian islands, where births have occurred on many of the major islands.
Food habits:
Hawaiian monk seals generally do not eat just one kind of prey. They eat a variety of fish species ranging from the reef to the depths of over 1,500 feet. They also eat squid, octopus, eels, and several types of crustaceans (crabs, shrimp, and lobster). Monk seals hunt for food outside the immediate shoreline areas, primarily in the region that is 60-300 feet deep. If fishermen are throw-netting or shore-casting, they will likely not be fishing in the area where the monk seals feed. However, monk seals and fishermen do, on rare occasion, use the same areas. This usually happens along the shoreline as seals leave to or return from feeding. Seals have also been known to eat catch from nets, and bait from fishing hooks. When this happens the seals can become a nuisance. Seals may eat fish and bait because they are “opportunistic feeders.” This means that they will feed on a food source if it is “easy” for them to get. They learn these habits quickly.
Habitat needs:
Monk seals are also found using deepwater coral beds as foraging habitat. When on land, monk seals breed and haul-out on sand, corals, and volcanic rock. Sandy, protected beaches surrounded by shallow waters are preferred when pupping. Monk seals are often seen resting on beaches during the day.
WHY IT IS ENDANGERED!
Adult male Aggression-(Primary Area Affected: Northwestern Hawaiian Islands) There are events involving single to multiple adult male Hawaiian monk seals exhibiting aggression towards adult females and immature seals has led to a significant number of severe injuries and deaths. Unfortunately, the loss of even a single female, and the loss of her lifetime reproductive potential, represents a significant setback to population recovery of this endangered species. This threat continues to be a concern, even though it tends to be episodic and geographically limited.
Climate change (Primary Area Affected: Northwestern Hawaiian Islands)- They loose their habitats! (from storm erosion and sea level rise) It increases seal densities on the remaining terrestrial habitat and potentially increases competition between seals. Additionally, shifts in ecosystem productivity, either from cyclical events and/or global climate change, may impact available food resources for foraging seals.
Human Interaction(Primary Area Affected: Main Hawaiian Islands)- Human actions and activities are popular within the island and impacts the survival of these mammals. Seals go out to land for important biological needs: to rest, molt, give birth, and care for their pup. Disturbing seals, either unintentionally or deliberately, can have negative consequences, as the seal may use important energy reserves to move away, or in the case of a mother seal, to defend her pup. Intentional feeding and direct interaction like swimming and encouraging seals, usually juvenile seals, may teach them to seek humans, make smaller monk seals deprived from surviving skills, which can cause aggression. They can also be hooked onto nets.
Shark predation (Primary Area Affected: Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, specifically French Frigate Shoals)- Galapagos sharks can cause injury or even death to the seals, limiting their population. Pups are usually found dead in the nearshore waters, often just feet from shore:(.
How the Hawaiian Monk Seal is Protected! AND HOW YOU CAN HELP!
The Marine Mammal Center is a rescue range in California, that help protect these seals through a partnership with NOAA at the National Marine Fisheries Service due to their endangered population and need for help. In September of 2014, The Marine Mammal Center opened a new state-of-the-art hospital for Hawaiian monk seals located at Kailua-Kona on the Big Island. (Ke Kai Ola) (The Healing Sea in Hawaiian), the new facility has already rescued, rehabilitated, and rehabilitated a grand number of Hawaiian monk seal pups.