This is the Neomonachus schauinslandi or Hawaiian Monk Seal
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The beautiful Hawaiian Monk Seal. Also known as Neomonachus schauinslandi or in Hawaiian as ‘Ilio-holo-i-ka-uaua, meaning “dog that runs in rough water”.
It gets the name Monk Seal because it is a very solitary animal and it also has folds of skin around its head resembling a monk’s cowl. The Monk Seal is the only seal swimming in tropical warm waters. It is endemic to Hawaii meaning it is only found in the Hawaiian Archipelago. It is also the most endangered seal species in the world. Monk seals are protected not only by the Marine Mammal Protection Act but also by the Endangered Species Act that they joined in November of 1976. Their threats include, lack of food, natural predators like sharks, entanglement in fishing gear, loss of habitat, male aggression among the species, intentional killing, and diseases to name a few. Good news though, the numbers have been increasing over the last few years. There are now about 1600 seals in existence today. Most reside near Papahānaumokuākea, where about 1200, while the other 400 frequent the main islands in Hawaii.
If you visit Hawaii, you may catch a glimpse of them sunning themselves while sleeping on our warm beaches.
They will be about 400-600 pounds and 6-7 feet long, so not a small seal…lol. Monk Seals can live to be about 30 years old and will start reproducing around 5-10 years of age. Mating occurs during the months of June, July, and August and they give birth to only 1 pup. These seals also have what is called a catastrophic molt once a year. This simply means they will come ashore for about 10 days and shed their fur and top layer of their skin. While swimming, the seals can hold their breath for 20 minutes and can dive more than 1800 feet, but on average they dive less than 200 feet and hold their breath about 6 minutes. Their diet includes, fish, octopus, squid, eels, and crustaceans such as crabs and mollusks. They will spend about two-thirds of their life at sea. So if you ever get the chance to visit Hawaii, and catch a glimpse of the seal sleeping on the beach, know that it is our Hawaiian Monk Seal and that it is very endangered and needs protecting. In order to do that, we must also remember that we need to protect our oceans and our fisheries allowing enough fish and food for these seals to eat and grow.
The image above was taken during a Private Ocean Project Maui Snorkel Tour.
This colorful image was taken off a West Maui Beach by the dedicated staff of Ocean Project Maui. They offer custom, private snorkel tours around the island of Maui, Hawaii. Each #COLORSOFTHEOCEAN image you see in our monthly blog, was captured during a private guided snorkel tour. These amazing images, as well as images above and below the water of the clients/supporters are included in every tour at no additional cost.
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