Hawaiian Monk Seal Pictures

The Hawaiian monk seal, Monachus schauinslandi, are among the most endangered species of all seals. It is estimated than only 1,200 individuals remain as of 2008, and the population continues to decline. It is almost at the point where there are not enough individuals to maintain a healthy gene pool. The Hawaiian monk seal was officially designated as an endangered species on November 23, 1976 and is now protected by the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. It is illegal to kill, capture or harass a Hawaiian monk seal.

To raise awareness for the species' plight, the Hawaiian monk seal was declared Hawaii's official State Mammal on June 11, 2008 by Lieutenant Governor James Aiona. Most Hawaiian Monk Seals live in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. These atolls and islands have little impact by humans, providing an ideal habitat for these easily disturbed creatures and the coral reefs provide the monk seal with its food supply of spiny lobsters, octopuses, eels, and various reef fishes. They spend most of their time in the ocean but like to rest on sandy beaches. On occasion they can be seen around the larger, populated Hawaiian islands, where the islanders call them Ilio-holo-i-ka-uaua which means "dog that runs in rough waters."

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Picture of Hawaiian monk seal, Monachus schauinslandi, endemic and highly endangered, hauled out basking on a beach in Kauai, Hawaii, Pacific Ocean

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Image of Hawaiian monk seal, Monachus schauinslandi, endemic and highly endangered, Hawaii, Pacific

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Stock photo of Hawaiian monk seal, Monachus schauinslandi, endangered and endemic, Midway Atoll, Northwest Hawaiian Islands, Pacific Ocean

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Picture of Hawaiian monk seal, Monachus schauinslandi, endemic and highly endangered, swimming underwater, Hawaii, Pacific Ocean

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Photo of Hawaiian monk seal, Monachus schauinslandi, critically endangered species, yearling female underwater, Mahukona, Kohala, Hawaii Island, Central Pacific Ocean

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Stock photo of Hawaiian monk seal, Monachus schauinslandi, mouth open, hauled out on beach on Oahu, Hawaii, Pacific

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Image of severely endangered, endemic Hawaiian monk seal, Monachus schauinslandi, Kure Atoll, North West Hawaiian Islands, Pacific Ocean

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Picture of Hawaiian monk seal, Monachus schauinslandi, endemic and highly endangered, Hawaii, Pacific Ocean

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Picture of Hawaiian monk seal, Monachus schauinslandi, endemic and highly endangered, Hawaii, Pacific Ocean

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Image of Hawaiian Monk Seal, Monachus schauinslandi, and diver, Kealakekua Bay, Big Island, Hawaii

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Stock photo of Hawaiian monk seal, Monachus schauinslandi, endangered and endemic, Poipu Beach, Kauai, Hawaii, North Pacific Ocean

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Picture of Hawaiian monk seal, Monachus schauinslandi, endemic and highly endangered, Hawaii, Pacific Ocean

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Picture of Hawaiian monk seal, Monachus schauinslandi, endemic and highly endangered, with tracking transmitter attached, Kealakekua Bay, Big Island, Hawaii, Pacific

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Image of Hawaiian Monk Seal, Monachus schauinslandi, female with pup at Kure Atoll, Northwest Hawaiian Islands, Hawaii, Pacific

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Stock photo of Hawaiian monk seal, Monachus schauinslandi, endangered and endemic, Hawaii, North Pacific Ocean

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Picture of Hawaiian monk seal, Monachus schauinslandi, endemic and highly endangered, North West Hawaiian Islands, Pacific Ocean

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Picture of Hawaiian monk seal, Monachus schauinslandi, endemic and highly endangered, with trevally, ulua, Caranx ignobilis, Kure Atoll, North West Hawaiian Islands, Pacific Ocean

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Image of Hawaiian Monk Seal, Monachus schauinslandi, Kealakekua Bay, Big Island, Hawaii, Pacific

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Stock photo of Hawaiian monk seal, Monachus schauinslandi, endangered and endemic, Hawaii, North Pacific Ocean

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Picture of Hawaiian monk seal, Monachus schauinslandi, endemic and highly endangered, resting on a beach on Oahu, Hawaii

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