Miraculous Monk Seal ‘ilio holo I ka uaua Monachus Shauinslandi By: Kirra Spalding

Hōʻike (Physical Description): Descriptive and interesting facts. Its scientific name is Monachus Schauinslandi. Its diet is fish, eel, lobster and octopus. Adult males weigh about 380 pounds and adult females weigh about 580 pounds. A pup weighs about pounds when born. The Hawaiian monk seals Hawaiian name is (‘ilio holo I ka uaua). It is endemic to the northern Hawaiian Islands. Some monk seals have big fins and some have small fins. Hawaiian monk seals spend so much time in the ocean that their faces turn green with algae.

Moʻomeheu (Hawaiʻi Culture and History ): Hawaiian monk seals got their name from their baldness and loose skin around their neck. Its Hawaiian name means (dog that runs in rough water). They got their name from Monachus means monk and Shauinslandi is named after Dr. Hugo Herman Shauinslandi. The Hawaiian Monk Seal is endangered on the 8 main Hawaiian Islands for many reasons. One reason is because people are not picking up trash at the beach and the monk seals are thinking it is food. Rubber bands and plastic get stuck on their neck and flippers so they can’t breathe or swim. They are also having habitat loss because we build new houses and hotels on their beaches. Here is a video of a monk seal I saw at Hookipa

Kuʻu Manaʻo (Reflect and Connect): The Hawaiian monk seal is endangered because there are fewer private beaches so they won’t have quiet places to go and rest and give birth to their young, Fewer octopus and lobster and people had deliberately killed or hurt the monk seal which is illegal. I went to Ho’okipa beach and took some photos and videos of the Hawaiian monk seal. The same Hawaiian monk seal came to Ho’okipa beach a lot in the same spots. I also saw a wildlife safety group that put up the caution tape for the Hawaiian monk seals and Hawaiian sea turtles. I saw a Hawaiian monk seal on the other side of Ho’okipa beach than they usually are. On Oahu I saw a statue with Duke Kahanamoku and a monk seal riding a wave. I talked to a Hawaiian monk seal specialist her name was Sara she gave me some good information about how kids can help take care of the Hawaiian monk seals and when they come up to rest and eat they usually hunt in the shallow waters. Our kuleana to save ocean life is to take care of the aina including the beach. We have to pick up trash and bottles. We really have to recycle because we have so much trash, we don’t know where to put all of it. We can’t just put in the ocean or else the sea life will die or can’t just put it in the ground or we will get bad soil.

Ke Kumu (Bibliography and Resources): 1.Hawaiian Monk Seal - National Wildlife FederationHawaiian Monk Seal - National Wildlife Federation 2. Monk foundationMonk foundation Books-- 1.Author-Susan Scott Book- plants and Animals of Hawaii Pg Author-Quintin Book-Mammals of Hawaii Pg Kupuna: Sara: Hawaiian monk seal specialist/ Waikiki aquarium Photo credits: (giving credits to the ones who toke the photo online) NOAA Monk seal foundation URL:monksealfoundation.orgURL:monksealfoundation.org To help our ilio holo I ka uaua( Hawaiian Monk Seal we can adopt one for $40 Hawaii Wildlife Fund - non-profit wildlife conservation... Hawaii Wildlife Fund - non-profit wildlife conservation...