The Monk Seal – Capricorn

General facts About Monk Seals:

The Seal is known as the dog of the sea.  In Hawaii they are known as “Ilio holo I ka uaua” which means “Dog that runs in water”. These loveable semi-aquatic mammals even give birth to pups! This is for a variety of reasons, but primarily because they both belong to the same suborder California. This sub-order of mammals diverted 50 million years ago into several families including bears, wolves, skunks, and sealions. The more aquatic species in this group are called Pinnipedia, which comprises 33 species. Within this Seal superfamily you will find: Walruses. Sea lions. Eared seals. Fur seals. And The Phocidae Family – “True” or Earless Seals.

Within the Phocidae family there are 18 species of Seals, including our friends: The Hawaiian Monk Seal, and the Mediterranean Monk Seal.

Introduction:

Monk seals are the oldest of all the Phocidae or “True Seals” on the planet in terms of their evolutionary history. Research by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) indicates that the Hawaiian Islands have been home to the Monk Seal for several million years!

The term “Monk” is often used today to describe a Buddhist man with a shaved head, who spends much of his time in solitude and small groups. This is what gives the Monk Seal its name! Our friends are known to live quiet lives in solitude or small groups, and their head is rounded and smooth. The quiet solitary nature of this mammal differs greatly from their cousins the Sea Lion and Walrus.

The Monk Seal is the oldest within the Phocidae family. They are known as “True Seals” on an evolutionary scale. The original Monk Seal is the Mediterranean Monk Seal, which gave birth to its cousins the Hawaiian, and the (now extinct) Caribbean Monk Seal. These Seals have received little to no evolutionary change to their fossils from 3.7 million years ago. Because of this, they are often referred to as living fossils.

The Hawaiian Monk Seal: Out of the Blue!

What is the size, weight & colour of the Hawaiian Monk Seal?

Female Hawaiian Monk Seals grow to be slightly larger than their male counterparts. The female will grow to be 2.4m long and 270kgs on average. The male will grow to be 2.1m long and weigh 180kgs. The Female Monk Seal’s weight decreases by 45kgs while they are nursing their pups, because they do not have time to hunt and feed. Males have black fur coats, while females have a dark brown/grey coat. The fur on their bodies is 1cm long and always looks slick and shiny. They can also be identified by the white stripe on their belly.

What type of vision does the Hawaiian Monk Seal have, and what sounds do they make?

While the Hawaiian Monk seal has an adaptable vision to see on land and underwater, it does not have perfect vision. Much like dogs, the Seal is at risk of developing cataracts and other eye problems. The chances of this increase when they are in captivity or polluted waters.

Our friends are extremely vocal! The Hawaiian Monk Seal is known to make a variety of defensive or excited noises. These sounds range from barking to growling and bubbling in the back of their throats.

Are there any special or unique physical attributes?

The cowl folds found on their neck resemble a hood, which provides more visual similarity to human monks. They are also easily identified by their lack of external ears. They will undergo a “catastrophic molt” once a year to shed off green algae and revive their shiny silver coat. Once this alga is shed, it is easy to spot the beach marks they have, which are small white dots scattered in their fur.

How fast is the Hawaiian Monk Seal?

True Seals swim at speeds between 10-30km/h. Their strong, short fins in the rear help steer them through the water hydro-dynamically, while their wide, short claws help them grab and pull their way through the water.

How do they hunt, and what do they eat?

The Hawaiian Monk Seal has a torpedo-shaped body much like a fish, which allows them to move easily through the water. While they hunt for shellfish on the ocean floor, they use their fins with claws at the end to grab hold of slow-moving sea life such as lobster, octopus, and squid. They have “foraging plasticity” which means they are opportunists and can eat most fish and crustaceans. These Seals can dive as far as 20 meters, but this usually isn’t necessary as they stay close to the shore.

Who are their natural enemies?

Monk Seals have many natural enemies. Hawaii is home to apex predators such as Great White Sharks, Tiger Sharks, Galapagos Sharks. All of which actively hunt and feed on adult Monk Seals. Male Monk Seals are also known to commit infanticide, which further endangers their own species. In order to stay hidden from these enemies, our friends will spend a lot of time sunbathing on land and hiding in underwater caves.

Where do they live?

These Monk Seals are endemic to the Hawaiian Archipelago. Their breeding sites include Kure atoll, Midway atoll, Pearl and Hermes Reef, Lisianski Island, and French frigate shoals. To limit Shark access even more they will choose beaches with reefs protecting the coastline. Our friends will spend a lot of time on land to avoid predators in between hunting for shellfish.

All about Reproduction:

Hawaiian Monk Seals reach sexual maturity between 5-10 years. This depends heavily on the overall weight of the animal. Females are responsible for the pup-rearing process. The pregnancy takes up to 11 months and they will give birth to one pup. Once they have given birth, they will feed their pups on land for up to 40 days. The weening process is sudden, as the mother will suddenly return to the ocean after this feeding period. After that, they will wait 3-4 weeks and begin the mating process all over again.

Monk Seals are known to foster other pups during the feeding process if abandoned too early. This is a rare behaviour in the animal kingdom and greatly aids their dying populations.

Life Span:

The average lifespan of the Hawaiian Monk Seal is 30 years. Most do not live to reach adulthood due to apex predators and bycatch fishing.

The Mediterranean Monk Seal: Out of the Blue!

What is the size, weight & colour of the Mediterranean Monk Seal?

The Mediterranean Monk Seal differs from the Hawaiian Monk Seal, where the males are larger than the females. Males weigh up to 320kgs while females weigh 300kgs. The largest Monk Seal in this region found was 400kgs. Both genders have similar lengths, measuring up to 2.5 meters.

Males have black fur coats, while females have a dark brown/grey coat. The fur on their bodies has been observed as the shortest among the Seal family. They can also be identified by the white stripe on their belly, which varies from pale white in males and off-white in females.

What type of vision does the Mediterranean Monk Seal have, and what sounds do they make?

While the Mediterranean Monk seal has an adaptable vision to see on land and underwater, it does not have perfect vision. Much like dogs, the Seal is at risk of developing cataracts and other eye problems. The chances of this increase when they are in captivity or polluted waters.

Our friends are extremely vocal! The Mediterranean Monk Seal is known to make a variety of defensive or excited noises. These sounds range from a bark, to growling and bubbling in the back of their throats.

Are there any special or unique physical attributes?

The cowl folds found on their neck resemble a hood, which provides more visual similarity to human monks. They are also easily identified by their lack of external ears. They will undergo a “catastrophic molt” once a year to shed off green algae and revive their shiny silver coat. Once this alga is shed, it is easy to spot the beach marks they have, which are small white dots scattered in their fur. This process takes up to 15 days. The Mediterranean Monk Seal sheds entirely underwater while the Hawaiian Monk Seal Sheds partially on land.

How fast is the Mediterranean Monk Seal?

“True Seals” swim at speeds between 10-30 kilometers per hour. Their strong, short fins in the rear help steer them through the water hydrodynamically, while their wide, short claws help them grab and pull their way through the water.

How do they hunt, and what do they eat?

The Mediterranean Monk Seal has a torpedo-shaped body much like a fish, which allows them to move easily through the water. While they hunt for shellfish on the ocean floor, they use their fins with claws at the end to grab hold of slow-moving sea life such as lobster, octopus, and squid. They have “foraging plasticity” which means they are opportunists and can eat most fish and crustaceans. These Seals can dive as far as 20 meters, but this usually isn’t necessary as they stay close to the shore.

What are their natural enemies?

Mediterranean Monk Seals have fewer predators than Hawaiian. They need to be wary of Killer Whales and Sharks, but boats and tourism keep them at bay. Male Monk Seals are also known to commit infanticide, which further endangers their own species. In order to stay hidden from these enemies, our friends will spend a lot of time sunbathing on land and hiding in underwater caves.

Where do they live?

In the past, Mediterranean Monk Seals would congregate in groups and spend time on land and beaches. Now, due to tourism, boat traffic, and habitat loss, they live in caves and secluded rocky shores. This Shyness and fear of humans make the exact location of groups hard to locate, but they are known to be seen mostly in the Aegean Sea near Greece and Turkey.

All about Reproduction:

Mediterranean Monk Seals reach sexual maturity at 4 years. This depends heavily on the overall weight of the animal. Females are responsible for the pup-rearing process. The pregnancy takes up to 11 months and they will give birth to one pup. Once they have given birth, they will feed their pups on land for up to 40 days. The weening process is sudden, as the mother will suddenly return to the ocean after this feeding period. After that, they will wait 3-4 weeks and begin the mating process all over again.

Monk Seals are known to foster other pups during the feeding process if abandoned too early. This is a rare behavior in the animal kingdom and greatly aids their dying populations.

Life Span:

The average lifespan of the Mediterranean Monk Seal is 25 years, with some living up to 45. Most do not live to reach adulthood due to habitat loss, pollution, and bycatch fishing.

Myths:

A common myth about Monk Seals is that they damage the habitats they hunt in. This includes coral reefs, grassy sea beds, and terrain. While our friends will turn over rocks, the disruption they cause to coral reefs is a small fraction compared to the shellfish they hunt. If Monk Seals did not eat lobsters and crab, then ecosystems would collapse from small foragers overpopulating the ocean.

What threats do the Monk Seals face?

Only 20% of Monk Seal pups make it to their 2nd year. This is due to various threats including bycatch fishing, where many pups will be entangled in nets and drown. Pollution also causes life-threatening diseases in Monk Seals. In 1997 an unknown disease wiped out two-thirds of the largest population off the coast of Africa. Today the most common culprit for Monk Seal disease is toxoplasmosis, a parasite that is born from cats and travels through waterways.

Why are they endangered?

With only 1,700 Monk Seals left; their populations have a slim chance of recovering. Most pups are vulnerable and do not make it to adulthood. With many Monk Seals needing 10 years to reach sexual maturity, and solitary litters, it will take a lot of time and external protection. The Caribbean Monk Seal is already extinct due to excessive hunting for blubber by sealers.

Endangered Ranking – NOAA:

The Monk Seal has been exploited since the 1500s. This eradication of their species has caused them to be fearful of humans and avoid mating grounds near populated areas. Many Monk Seals are now under protection, as they are considered “critically endangered”. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association funds considerable research to protect the populations and mating grounds of our friends. They are just one of the many organizations currently working to establish Monk Seal populations once again.

Why should you care?

If Monk Seals become completely extinct, there will be lasting implications for the marine ecosystem. Our friends steady the food chain by feeding on more invasive species of marine life. A loss of any predator in the ocean makes for less stable coral reefs, which provide the earth with half of its oxygen.

What can you do to help?

1. Ethical Consumption: Seal blubber is still commonly used to feed Inuit populations, with many countries using it to create soaps, margarine, and oil-burning lamps. Vote with your wallet and refuse anything that contains blubber.

2. Spread the word! Talk to family members and friends about what they’re doing to help the cause. Inform people on ways they can help protect the Monk Seal and its habitat. Many organizations collect funds for research on Monk Seal conservation.

3. Get Involved: Lastly, spend time signing petitions and getting involved in online spaces. If you can, take part in coastal cleanups to keep Monk Seal habitats litter-free.

If there is a public demand for change, then change will come. With everyone’s help, we can create new standards for the ocean and all of its inhabitants! With safer oceans, we will continue to see the Monk Seal populations stabilize.