How did Hawaiian monk seals adapt?
Some of these adaptations include: streamlined bodies, fin-like appendages for gliding, a thick layer of fat for warmth and buoyancy, internalized structures such as reproductive and sensory organs. The main predators of the Hawaiian monk seal are sharks.
What is the Hawaiian monk seal famous for?
Hawaiian monk seals live in the remote islands of northwest Hawaii. These small islands and atolls are either uninhabited or little frequented by man. They are also surrounded by lush coral reefs, which provide an excellent feeding ground for seals skilled in swimming and diving for fish, lobsters, octopus and eels.
Do Hawaiian monk seals have teeth?
The Hawaiian monk seal has a relatively small, flat head with large black eyes, eight pairs of teeth, and a short snout with the nostril above the snout and whiskers on either side.
How do you say monk seal in Hawaiian?
The Hawaiian name for the monk seal is “ilio-holo-i-ka-uaua”, which means “dog running through rough water”. They may slightly resemble dogs as they are quite close to canines.
What are the threats to Hawaiian monk seals?
In the main Hawaiian Islands, the main threats Hawaiian monk seals face are interactions with fishing, intentional human damage, and disease, especially toxoplasmosis, which is now one of the main causes of Hawaiian monk seal mortality and a growing concern in the major populated Hawaiian Islands.
What kind of markings do Hawaiian monk seals have?
Most Hawaiian monk seals have unique natural markings, such as scars or natural bleach marks (white spots), on their fur that help identify them. NOAA Fisheries authorized personnel often apply identification tags to their hind flippers.
How long do Hawaiian monk seals live in the wild?
Hawaiian monk seals live up to 25 to 30 years in the wild, but their lives are too often cut short by human-caused disturbances. Conservation Hawaiian monk seals are listed as endangered on the United States Endangered Species List and the State of Hawaii’s Endangered Species List, and are also protected by law on the protection of marine mammals.
Are there any seals left on the Hawaiian Islands?
Most seals are found in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The Hawaiian monk seal is endangered, although its cousin, the Mediterranean monk seal (M. monachus), is even rarer, and the Caribbean monk seal (M. tropicalis), last seen in the 1950s, was officially declared extinct in June 2008.
Are there still monk seals in the world?
The Hawaiian monk seal is the last surviving species of its genus and is endemic to the 1,500-mile-long archipelago of the Hawaiian Islands from Hawai’i Island to Kure Atoll. There are only about 1,400 Hawaiian monk seals left in the world, and their population is well below historic levels.
