Hawaiian Monk Seal appeared on the Hawaiian Islands millions of years ago, it is the oldest and most primitive of all living pinnipeds (the order of fin-footed mammals that includes seals, walruses, and sea lions.)
Hawaiian Monk Seal is protected by the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act. NOAA Fisheries, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, (the US Government office) is monitoring Hawaiian Monk Seal and working to enhance the recovery of Hawaiian Monk Seal over 50 years.
The current population estimate is about 1,400 seals, about 1,100 seals live in the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and about 300 seals live in the main Hawaiian Islands (Niihau/Lehua, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, Lanai, Kahoolawe, and Hawaii Island.)
by NOAA
Congress passed the Endangered Species Act in 1973, recognizing that the natural heritage of the United States was of “esthetic, ecological, educational, recreational, and scientific value to our nation and its people.” It was understood that, without protection, many of our nation’s native plants and animals would become extinct. Hawaiian Monk Seal is one of the most Endangered Species in the world.
Nothing is more priceless and more worthy of preservation than the rich array of animal life with which our country has been blessed.
– President Nixon, upon signing the Endangered Species Act
Holokai, RG40/41, 4 years old male
In 1966 the US Fish & Wildlife Service began applying tags to the rear flippers of monk seals. The service continued to tag seals intermittently until the early 1970s.
NOAA began a tagging program in 1981, and since 1984 most of the newly weaned seals born in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands have been fitted with plastic tags on their rear flippers.
The tags are coded with letters and numbers, enabling researchers to identify individual seals so that they may better understand the monk seals’ habits and needs and assess rehabilitation progress.
Most tags placed on seals are color coded; each island or atoll is represented by a different color. This enables researchers to determine which island a seal is originally from, thus making it easier to trace interisland movement patterns.
Kaimana, RJ58/59, 2 years old female has a ID tag (J58)
Find a seal on the beach? Please call in the NOAA Hotline to report the seal sighting at (888) 256-9840. All your report of Hawaiian Monk Seal sighting will help to support its recovery.
Reference: Hawaiian Monk Seal by Patrick Ching
Please join one of our Learn Hawaiian Monk Seal tours to learn about Hawaiian Monk Seal. Look forward to meeting you in person near future! Mahalo,
