Courtesy of Conservation Council for Hawai’i

Advocating for Native Species

Guided by a dedicated board and led by a dynamic and deeply committed executive director, CCH has launched numerous campaigns over the years seeking to protect imperiled native species, including coral reef fishes, marine mammals such as the ilioholoikauaua (Hawaiian monk seal) and kohola (humpback whale), seabirds such as the ‘a‘o (Newell’s shearwater) and ‘ua‘u (Hawaiian petrel), and forest birds such as the palila.

CCH served as the lead plaintiff in three successful lawsuits under the federal Endangered Species Act that not only led to the listing of more than 250 Hawaiian plants and animals as threatened or endangered but secured designation of critical habitat for dozens of these species. CCH was also one of the lead organizations on the E Ho‘omau! Campaign to preserve cultural and natural heritage by securing permanent adequate funding for the state’s Natural Area Reserves System. The system’s 20 reserves protect wildlife, cultural sites and geologic features. CCH is currently engaged in ongoing legal action to compel the State of Hawai‘i to prepare an environmental assessment or impact statement for issuing permits to collect fish and invertebrates for the aquarium trade.

Giving a Voice to the Hawaiian Monk Seal

Hawaiian monk seal in its native habitat by Vanderlip

Connecting Kids and Nature

Each year since the 1970s, CCH has produced a wildlife poster that is distributed free to all public, private, charter and language immersion schools in the Aloha State. Recent versions have combined beautiful artwork by Hawai‘i-based artists with in-depth educational information for teachers and students. The poster effort began as part of NWF’s annual National Wildlife Week celebration.

Highlighting Threats to Flora and Fauna

As the most isolated archipelago on the planet, the Hawaiian Islands are home to hundreds of rare species and fragile ecosystems found nowhere else in the world. These Hawaiian flora and fauna face unprecedented threats from invasive non-native species, human development, climate change, and inadequate funding and political support to fully protect species and their habitats. CCH draws attention to the serious consequences of climate change on the island’s habitats and to the dangers non-native ungulates (hoofed mammals), rodents, insects and other invasive species pose to native plants and wildlife.

CCH sets the bar for scientifically grounded positions on critical wildlife issues and is widely recognized for its diligent work to make sure all voices are brought to the table in the efforts to protect Hawai‘i’s endangered native wildlife. Congratulations to the board, staff and volunteers of CCH for the Affiliate of the Year recognition!

Hawaiian monk seal in its native habitat. Photo: NOAA

Pup Births Fall to Record Lows

The monk seal successfully survived in the Hawaiian Islands for millions of years until it was hunted to near extinction in the 1800s. Today, monk seals are at risk from entanglement in fishing gear and other marine debris, overfishing, invasive species, sea level rise and ocean acidification. But recovery efforts face strong opposition from fishermen who fear the seals’ competition for fish, and others who see any federal protections as intrusion. Adding to these threats, vocal resistance to critical habitat and recovery actions for the seal has taken an increasingly ominous turn. In late 2011 and earlier this year, four monk seals died of suspicious head injuries and a fifth is being investigated. More are suspected of having been killed offshore. New reports from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provide further concern. According to Charles Littnan, lead scientist for the Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program at NOAA, monk seal births in the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) are at an all-time low. Just 105 pups were born in the NWHI this year; the lowest number since records began to be kept 30 years ago.

Recovery Funding Key to Preventing Extinction

The Hawaiian Monk Seal Recovery Plan, released in 2007, identified funding needs totaling $36 million over 5 years, or approximately $7 million per year in order to successfully recover and protect the seal. Though essential to the survival of the seal, these figures have never been fully realized. The Recovery Program has lost 36% of its funding from 2010 ($5.5 million to $3.5 million) and proposed cuts for 2013 threaten to further eliminate key parts of research and recovery efforts that could literally mean life or death to the endangered monk seal.

Data from NOAA show that less than 200 seals live near the main Hawaiian Islands of O‘ahu, Maui Hawai‘i, Kaua‘i, Moloka‘i, Lana‘i, Kaho‘olawe, and Ni‘ihau. Here, the majority of pups born annually survive just fine.  But out in the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands where the vast majority of monk seals reside, fewer than one in five pups ever reach adulthood. Starvation and Galapagos sharks, which come into the shallow waters to prey on seal pups, take a huge annual toll.

Raising the survival rates of female pups to breeding age is key to the species’ survival. But doing so depends entirely on securing critical funding. Part of the recovery plan calls for temporarily moving small numbers of female pups from the NWHI to the main islands for up to three years to support greater survivability. Funding cuts threaten these translocation efforts as well as other important components of the recovery plan. According to the NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service, the survival of the Hawaiian monk seal will depend largely on the stability of this recovery funding over the next several years, making the next 5 to 10 years crucial to the survival of the seal.

Donate now to help prevent monk seal killings and preserve vital seal habitat.

Make your voice heard: Speak Up for the Hawaiian Monk Seal

Right now, Congress is hearing mainly from those who oppose the actions that are needed to save our Hawaiian monk seals. Please take a moment to add your voice to those of us across the nation calling for protection of the Hawaiian monk seal by contacting your members of congress. Take action here to urge your members of Congress to support and fully fund recovery actions that will prevent Hawaiian monks seal from going extinct.

Hawaiian monk seal in its native habitat. Vanderlip.

“Dog Running in the Rough Sea”

Known for generations as ‘ilioholoikauaua, or “dog running in the rough sea,” the Hawaiian monk seal is one of only three monk seals species found in the world. The Caribbean monk seal was last seen in 1952 and declared extinct in 2008, and the Mediterranean monk seal hangs by a thread with a wild population of just 600. The Hawaiian monk seal, with a population of less than 1,100 and dropping precipitously at 4% a year, is already struggling to survive and needs our help now to avoid a similar fate.

Hawaiian monk seals are at risk from entanglement in fishing gear and other marine debris, declining prey stocks, invasive species, coral bleaching, sea level rise, shark predation and ocean acidification. Adding to these threats, vocal resistance to critical habitat and recovery actions for the seal has taken an increasingly ominous turn as more seals turn up dead.  

A Critical Year

Hawaiian Monk Seal. Photo by NOAA.

NOAA has proposed expanding critical habitat designation to the main Hawaiian Islands, where an increasing number of seals are residing and where there is a higher survival rate despite increased interactions with humans. Aggressive recovery actions, including translocating up to 20 young female pups a year from the NWHI to the main islands for three years to give them a head start in survival before being returned to the NWHI, are also proposed. But recovery efforts face stiff opposition from fishing interests and others who fear the seals’ competition for fish and those who see any federal protections as intrusion.

Myths and Vocal Opposition

As efforts to protect and recover the seal move forward, simmering resentment among some fishers who believe critical habitat designation will curtail their right to fish has been inflamed by myths about the seal. Large commercial fishing interests and others, looking to prevent expansion of critical habitat, appear to be making the seal a scapegoat for declining fish stocks, while the real reasons for that decline are ignored. Run-off from large-scale agriculture and development, invasive algae and other non-native marine species, overfishing, stream diversions, aquarium collecting and increased ocean acidification all negatively impact local fisheries. As for the monk seals, they are opportunistic feeders and regularly consume a wide variety of marine organisms.

To make matters worse, some of those opposed to protecting the seal have spread misinformation, leading people to believe that monk seals are not native to Hawai‘i and instead are themselves an invasive species. Archeological evidence and cultural references, including the Kumulipo, the Hawaiian Creation Chant – which specifically mentions the monk seal, all indicate its existence in the islands for thousands of years.

You Can Help

National Wildlife Federation is working with the Conservation Council for Hawai‘i and other community and conservation partners throughout the islands to speak up for the seal and build a constituency for its protection and survival. We are working to ensure federal funding for seal recovery efforts and we helped launch a public media campaign to dispel myths and underscore that the Hawaiian monk seal is a native species deserving of Hawaiian and national pride and the full protection of critical habitat and recovery.

Help stop the attacks on endangered Hawaiian monk seals! Please donate today to help National Wildlife Federation save seals and other wildlife from extinction >>

Hawaiian Monk Seal and Pup Photo by: US Fish and Wildlife Service

Despite their importance and generally adorable nature the Monk Seals are one of the most endangered species in the world. Their population has continued to decline after nearly being hunted to extinction in the 19^th century and their current population is estimated at less than 1,100. Although they are listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) they continue to face new challenges that threaten their continued survival.

The Monk Seal is a charismatic, tropical seal that can only be found in the Hawaiian Islands and are one of only two indigenous mammals. Today they are known as Monk Seals, named for the folds of skin on their heads which resembles a monk’s hood.

Hawaiian Monk Seal photo by: U. S. Fish and WIldlife Service

Like many species the monk seal relies on a specific type of habitat to survive. Like humans, they enjoy sun bathing on the warm, sandy beaches where they can at times be seen lounging in the sun. Most of their time, however, is spent swimming through the warm subtropical waters around atolls, islands and offshore on reefs and submerged banks. Maintaining a safe and healthy habitat is critical for their continued existence.

Recently the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) proposed a revision to the monk seal critical habitat. This new designation would include the established critical habitat in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and aims to include other areas throughout the main Hawaiian Islands. The recommendation is based on substantial scientific information and aims to protect habitat for reproduction, rearing of offspring, foraging, resting and habitat protected from disturbance and also included economic and national security concerns among other things.

Despite their endangered status, there is much debate over the revised critical habitat designation from people such as the former governor of Hawaii Linda Lingle. Her argument stems from the idea that this new designation would negatively impact humans and that we should take a ‘people first’ approach.

Policies do need to take into account the impact on people but something must be done before this unique species is gone forever. We have a duty to ensure their continued survival which means helping to protect their critical habitat areas.

Our affiliate organization, Conservation Council for Hawaii has been working tirelessly to help protect the Monk Seals and other endangered species in Hawaii where Climate Change and other pressures have had a large impact on many native species. You can also hear about Monk Seals from Ranger Rick and learn more about what you can do to help endangered species like the Monk Seal and others in your area.