'Ilioholoikauaua
Why they're endangered and what you can do to help.
What Hurts...
Up until the 1900s, these animals were hunted for their oil and their skins by sealers that discovered that they were easy to kill. They didn't have any natural land predators, so they didn't feel threatened if something came near. The sealers took advantage of this to hunt the seals. The seals' numbers were so quickly reduced that soon the population was too small to make the hunting of them profitable.
During a period of about forty years beginning in the early 1900s, the seals had a chance to recover their numbers when the U.S. Government made the Northwestern Hawaiian Island a wildlife reservation called the Hawaiian Bird Reservation. With the beginning of the involvement of the United States in WWII, the seals were disturbed again by humans. This time it was U.S. military activity that interrupted their rather sensitive breeding habits.
Another factor that has added to their decline in population is the fishing industry. The nets that they use pose a danger to Hawaiian monk seals. They get tangled in the nets and die by drowning because they are, after all, mammals and need to breathe air. Not only that, but it is also believed that they are also affected by overfishing. It is believed to deplete their food sources and may leave them without enough to eat.
There are a few other threats to this species. Sharks are one because they have been known to eat seals. Ciguatera is another factor in the equation of the survival of the species.
...and how you can help.
This species is currently protected under two laws. There are also guidelines to follow if you happen to come in contact with these animals:
1. Do not approach them. They are allowed to approach you, though.
2.When you have to pass them on the beach, keep a distance of at least 100 feet.
3. Avoid mother seals with their pups.
4. Report sightings of sick and/or injured seals to the National Marine Fisheries Service in Honolulu ph. (808)955-8831.