These cute doglike seals are the only water animal to be found only in United States waters, and are indigenous to the Hawaiian Islands. They are born with a black fur coat that will shed as they grow. As adults, they are dark gray with a light colored belly. The female monk seal is larger in size than the male monk seal. Most of them are found in the northwestern islands of Hawaii, with only a few hundred living inland. These seals are listed as endangered on the U.S. endangered species list as well as the Hawaii endangered species list. They are currently protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The Hawaiian monk seal is only one of two mammal species that are native to Hawaii, so they should be protected and saved at all costs.

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The National Wildlife Federation. “Hawaiian Monk Seal.” National Wildlife Federation, https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/Hawaiian-Monk- Seal.