One of the 13 seals on WAnimals
Mammals · Carnivora · Phocidae
Hawaiian Monk Seal
Neomonachus schauinslandi
Endangered
At very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future.
The Hawaiian monk seal is one of the most threatened pinnipeds on the planet and one of only two land mammals endemic to Hawaii, along with the bat Lasiurus semotus. It lives mainly on the uninhabited islands of the north-west of the archipelago, though a growing share of the population now breeds on the main islands. It dives for octopus, lobster, eels and reef fish, often to more than 100 metres. After decades of decline, the population has been slowly recovering for several years.
Weight
150 kg – 270 kg
Size
2.1 m – 2.4 m
Life expectancy
30 years
