What Kind of Seals Live in Hawaii?

As a general rule, seals are at home in the cold waters of the arctic and Antarctic. Hawaii is not perhaps the first place you might expect to see these aquatic mammals. The Hawaiian monk seal is the only species native to the state, and the northern elephant seal is a rare visitor outside of the breeding season.

  1. Description

    • The Hawaiian monk seal is a medium-size species. It grows to between 7 and 7.5 feet long and to 400 to 600 lbs. The females tend to be larger than the males. This is a streamlined animal with a torpedo shape. Loose folds of skin near the head resemble a monk's cowl; this and the animal's mainly solitary lifestyle give the seal its name. As with all seals, its front limbs are flippers and its rear ones are close together to help propulsion through the water.

    Range and Habitat

    • The species has a small range that is restricted to the northwestern Hawaiian islands. It is a shy species, so the seal is found mainly on uninhabited atolls or islands with small human populations. When not feeding, the seals relax on the warm, sandy beaches of Hawaii's islands.

    Diet and Predators

    • The seal feeds in the ocean, searching coastal coral reefs for its food. Favorite foods include fish, octopus, squid, lobster and eels. They are agile hunters, moving quickly through the water and grabbing prey in their mouths as they swim. The main natural threats to the Hawaiian monk seal are sharks, which feed on them. Males will also sometimes mob females, which can lead to death. Monk seals someimes become caught in fishing nets and drown. These threats have led to the species being classified as endangered and subject to protection by law.

    Life Cycle

    • Unlike seals that live in large colonies, the Hawaiian monk seal lives a solitary life most of the year, coming together only during breeding season. Mating season runs from December to August, with the pregnancy taking up to a year. The mother generally gives birth to a single pup on land, and she is the sole caregiver of the young. For the first five to six weeks the mother stays with the pup, feeding it and not eating. Mother seals lose up to 200 lbs. while caring for their pups.

      Hawaiian monk seals live 25 to 30 years in the wild.