Ecology

The Hawaiian Monk Seals are carnivores, but they are generalists in what they eat, meaning they eat a variety of foods depending on what is available to them. They are known to eat crabs, lobsters, and shrimp. Other common organisms in their habitat that are available to them are cephalopods, which are squid, octopus, and eel. They like to hunt the eel in the coral reefs and in the sand where they hide from predators.

To locate their breakfast, lunch, or dinner, they have been known to travel away from the shoreline, diving between 50-300 feet to forage. These marine mammals can dive as far as 1800 feet to find their prey. Adults are generally nocturnal hunters.

Filming this rare occurrence of the Hawaiian Monk Seal has to be so invigorating. This video shows a playful monk seal interacting with a green sea turtle. I hope that I will be able to see these beautiful creatures in their habitat one day.

Diver Jonathan Bird goes on a once-in-a-lifetime dive to see if he can see a monk seal in its habitat. In the mix of recording this beautiful marine mammal, he also gets to see a sandbar shark that seems to run away from the seal.

The seal interacts with many other species of sharks, fish, and coral reefs while swimming in the tropical waters of Northern Hawaiian Island

The tiger sharks are a dangerous predator of the monk seal, they prey on newborn pups learning to swim. About 20% of the pups don't get to their second birthday.

References

Fisheries, N. O. A. A. (2022, September 15). Hawaiian monk seal. NOAA. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/hawaiian-monk-seal#spotlight

Hawaiian monk seal facts: Habitat, diet, conservation, & more. American Oceans. (2021, February 15). Retrieved December 11, 2022, from https://www.americanoceans.org/species/hawaiian-monk-seal/

Hawaiian monk seals in Maui: Learn about these seals. Kayak Tours & Maui Surf Lessons. (n.d.). Retrieved December 11, 2022, from https://hawaiianpaddlesports.com/maui/hawaiian-monk-seals-maui/

Needles, L. (n.d.). Hawaiian monk seal. Hawaiian Monk Seal. Retrieved December 11, 2022, from http://bio227fall2015-01.blogspot.com/2015/12/hawaiian-monk-seal.html

BlueWorldTV. (2014, October 2). Hawaiian monk seals | jonathan bird's Blue World. YouTube. Retrieved December 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvvlBNUUAM0

Hawaiian monk seal 13.JPG. Doug Perrine Photography. (n.d.). Retrieved December 11, 2022, from https://dougperrine.photoshelter.com/image/I0000f7UsYfByGYc

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