sun 28-dec-08
hawaiian monk seal
Today,I was feeding the fish a slice of bread when two little kids started shouting "monk seal monk seal". But, I didn't believe them - after all they were 6 and 7 years old and monk seals almost never show up. I had never seen one.
But sure enough, it was a monk seal. Swimming in the bay. Dive masters - organizing their morning dives - the dive masters grabbed their masks, fins and cameras and dove in after the seal.
That was great. That was enough - I had seen a monk seal.
But, knowing that seals like to haul out and snooze - I set off looking for him and discovered the young seal resting on the rocks (across the street from the now defunct Hard Rock Cafe)
Quick Facts
Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi)Endangered: only about 1,200 left
Habitat: waters off the Hawaiian Islands
Strong swimmers:
- able to stay at sea for as long as a month
- able to dive 600 feet
- can hold their breath for 20 minutes
Food: fish, octopus, eels and lobsters
Adults have gray or brown fur, and babies are black. They grow up to seven feet long and weigh between 400 and 600 pounds. They can live as long as 30 years.
