Efforts to take Hawaiian monk seals off the endangered species list

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    HONOLULU (KITV) — Throughout 2023, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) conducted multiple research camps on the Hawaiian monk seal. NOAA researchers said the total population size is between 1,600 to 1,750. They said they expect that number to increase 2% each following year.

During NOAA’s last assessment and recovery camp, they documented 170 Hawaiian monk seal pups born last year at the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument.

“A lot of the important work that we do is being out at the field sites during the reproductive season, so that we have a chance to catch situations that may come up that would cause a seal to not survive,” said Thea Johanos, the supervisory research biologist for NOAA’s Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program.

Johanos said there are many challenges the monk seal faces when it comes to survival.

“Entanglement is a big concern. Also at Lalo or French Frigate Shoals there’s a problem where Galapagos sharks have been targeting pupping beaches,” said Johanos.

Other threats to Hawaiian monk seals are toxins from feral cat feces and attacks from people. A member of the Conservation Council for Hawaii said educating the public is very important in helping to increase the monk seal population.

“We feel that if people know more about the seals and what special creatures they are and how they are endemic to Hawaii, they will care more about their recovery,” said Colleen Heyer, president of the Conservation Council for Hawaii.

Heyer said if all of the conservation groups; private, state, and federal work together, they can help get the seals off the endangered species list sooner and in different ways.

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