How long have Hawaiian Monk seals been an endangered species?
Hawaiian monk seals are among the most endangered species of all seals, although its cousin species the Mediterranean Monk Seal (M. monachus) is even rarer, and the Caribbean Monk Seal (M. tropicalis), last sighted the 1950s, was officially declared extinct in June 2008. The population of Hawaiian monk seals continues to decline and, in 2008, it is estimated that only 1,200 individuals remain. 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. Monk seal species have shown alarming population declines in recent years due to the rapid spread of human activity to even the most remote and isolated areas in the Hawaiian Islands. In the n
