7 to 7.5 feet.
Hawaiian monk seals are 7 to 7.5 feet (2.1 to 2.2 meters) in length, with females larger than males. Pups weigh only 25 to 35 pounds (11 to 16 kilograms) when born, but grow up into 400- to 600-pound (180- to 270-kilogram) adults.
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How tall is a monk seal?
Monk seals as a whole vary minutely in size, with all adults measuring on average 8 feet (2.4 m) and 500 pounds (230 kg). They exhibit sexual dimorphism, in that the males are slightly larger than females, with the exception of the Hawaiian monk seal, where females are larger.
How much does a Hawaiian monk seal weigh?
What kills Hawaiian monk seals?
In the main Hawaiian Islands, the primary threats Hawaiian monk seals face are fisheries interactions, intentional harm by humans, and disease, particularly toxoplasmosis, which is now a leading cause of Hawaiian monk seal mortality and a growing concern in the populated main Hawaiian Islands.
How rare are Hawaiian monk seals?
With an estimated population of 1,200, the Hawaiian monk seal is one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world, and the rarest seal in US waters.
Do monk seals eat plants?
Monk seals are primarily “benthic” foragers (bottom feeders), eating a variety of prey including fish, cephalopods, and crustaceans. Their diet varies by location, sex, and age.
Are Hawaiian monk seals endangered 2021?
Hawaiian monk seals are protected under the federal Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act, as well as Hawaiʻi Revised Statute 195D. Only an estimated 1,400 Hawaiian monk seals are alive today.
How often do monk seals give birth?
Reproduction. Hawaiian monk seals mate in the water during their breeding season, which occurs between June and August. Females reach maturity at age four and give birth to one pup a year. The fetus takes nine months to develop, with birth occurring between March and June.
How close can you get to a Hawaiian monk seal?
50 feet
Hawaiian monk seals
Photo: Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources/Lesley Macpherson Recommended viewing distance: At least 50 feet (15 meters) away—on land and in water.
Do sharks eat monk seals?
Deliberate killing of monk seals has also been a problem. Sharks are natural predators of Hawaiian monk seals, but during one unusual period, shark attacks at the French Frigate Shoals shot up, killing nearly a quarter of all pups born between 1997 and 2010. This kind of predation continues to be a concern.
Do monk seals have fur?
The seals are born with a black lanugo—a fur coat found on some infant mammals.They shed this as they grow, and as adults, they have dark gray backs and light-colored bellies. Hawaiian monk seals are 7 to 7.5 feet (2.1 to 2.2 meters) in length, with females larger than males.
Are monk seals friendly?
Fact: Most monk seals are not aggressive toward people, unless they feel threatened (such as when a person gets between a mother seal and her pup).Normal “wild” monk seals almost never attack or seek interactions with humans. There have been only a few known cases of aggressive interactions between seals and people.
How do monk seals get toxoplasmosis?
The Hawaiian monk seal is a critically endangered species. While toxoplasmosis is a source of mortality, it currently does not appear to be a significant threat at a population level.Monk seals could become exposed by consuming T. gondii eggs directly from the water or by consuming egg-contaminated prey.
What are monk seals predators?
Tiger sharks often prey upon Hawaiian monk seals as evidenced by shark bite wounds present on many monk seals. Other shark predators include gray reef and white-tipped reef sharks.
How many Mediterranean monk seals are left?
The Mediterranean monk seal is one of the rarest marine mammals in the world and one of only a few pinniped species to reside in tropical and subtropical waters. Currently, only 600 to 700 individuals remain.
Where do monk seals breed?
However, the majority of Hawaiian monk seals live in six main breeding subpopulations in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands at Kure Atoll, Midway Islands, Pearl and Hermes Reef, Lisianski Island, Laysan Island and French Frigate Shoals.
Why do monk seals beach themselves?
Hawaiian monk seals naturally spend about a third of their time resting and sleeping on shore. They are not “lazy,” but conserve energy between their hunting and foraging trips.
Is the monk seal endangered?
Critically Endangered (Population decreasing)
What does a seal eat?
fish
Varied diets
All seals eat other animals, and most rely on fish caught out at sea. But a few species break the mold. For instance, leopard seals make a living hunting down penguins and even other seals.
What is the biggest threat to Hawaiian monk seals?
Threats to Hawaiian Monk Seals
- Shark Predation.
- Entanglement in Marine Debris.
- Loss of Terrestrial Habitat.
- Deliberate Killing.
- Hookings.
- Disease.
- Non-lethal Human Interactions.
- Interventions.
How long do monk seals nurse their pups?
approximately 5-6 weeks
Females nurse their pups for approximately 5-6 weeks. Seal milk is very rich which allows pups to gain weight rapidly with pups more than quadrupling their initial weight before weaning. The mother seal loses a tremendous amount of weight while nursing.
