FaunaHub
ENEndangeredPartial review

Hawaiian Monk Seal

Neomonachus schauinslandi

Sources disagree. This record says Endangered; IUCN's current global assessment (2025) says Vulnerable. Both are shown until an editor resolves the difference.

Hawaiian monk seal (Neomonachus schauinslandi) resting on a beach.

Hawaiian monk seal (Neomonachus schauinslandi), Kauai.

Image: E bailey, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

At a glance

IUCN category
EN · Endangered
Animal group
Mammals
Population trend
Increasing
FaunaHub record reviewed
Checked against IUCN
Sources disagree — IUCN's 2025 global assessment says VulnerableChecked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28 · assessment

Conservation overview

The Hawaiian monk seal is one of the world's most endangered seals, found only around Hawaii. It is assessed as Endangered.

It is one of the few seals adapted to warm tropical waters.

Range & habitat

The Hawaiian Islands, mainly the remote north-western chain.

Major threats

Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.

  • Entanglement in marine debris
  • Food limitation for young seals
  • Disease and human disturbance

Why it matters

A tropical seal found nowhere else, the Hawaiian monk seal is a flagship for protecting Hawaii's marine ecosystems and tackling ocean plastic.

Gallery

Close-up of a Hawaiian monk seal's face.

Hawaiian monk seal (Neomonachus schauinslandi).

Image: E bailey, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Sources

Sources for Hawaiian Monk Seal

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the Hawaiian monk seal unusual among seals?
Most seals live in cold waters, but the Hawaiian monk seal is adapted to warm tropical seas and is found only around the Hawaiian Islands.
Why is it Endangered?
Published assessments cite entanglement in marine debris, food shortages for young seals, disease, and human disturbance, though careful management has helped numbers. See the IUCN Red List.