Hawaiian monk seal
Neomonachus schauinslandi
Rare seals found only in Hawai'i, often resting on beaches. Watch quietly from a respectful distance and never crowd a seal or a mother with her pup.
Vulnerable (IUCN, 2024) means it is at high risk of extinction in the wild. It moved down from Endangered in 2024, and US law still protects it as Endangered.
Photos show the species, not always the places on this page.
Length
Usually about 1.8 to 2.1 m (6 to 7 ft); males and females are similar in length
Weight
Usually about 180 to 270 kg (400 to 600 lb); females often slightly larger, and some adults weigh more
Next to a person
About as long as a tall adult, and roughly 2 to 3 times a person's weight
What it eats
Reef and sea-floor fishes, eels, octopus, squid and crustaceans such as crabs, shrimp and lobster that hide in sand or under rocks. It often flips rocks with its nose to find food, and it does not usually target popular Hawaiian gamefish.
Around people
Potentially dangerous, respect
How it lives
Hawaiian monk seals mostly live alone. They come ashore to rest, moult, give birth and nurse, often staying on land for days. They hunt on the sea floor, usually on dives of less than about 60 m (200 ft) lasting around 6 minutes. They can hold their breath for about 20 minutes and dive deeper than 550 m (1,800 ft).
Where it goes
They live only in the Hawaiian Islands and do not make seasonal migrations. Some seals travel hundreds of kilometres between islands, but many come back to the same beaches. They spend about two-thirds of their time at sea, and sometimes sleep in small underwater caves.
We only draw a journey on the map when scientists have tracked it or clearly documented it. For this animal we have not found one yet.
Populations
About 1,200 seals live in Papahānaumokuākea (the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands) and about 400 in the main Hawaiian Islands. Seals in the main islands face more pressure from fishing gear, a disease spread by cat droppings, and disturbance on busy beaches, while those in the north-west face food shortages, marine debris and habitat loss. The IUCN lists the species as Vulnerable (2024), and in the United States it has been protected as Endangered since 1976.
Meet it respectfully
NOAA and the State of Hawai'i ask people to stay at least 15 m (50 ft) from seals on land and in water, and at least 45 m (150 ft) from mothers with pups. Stay behind signs and ropes, and keep dogs on a leash. Never touch, feed or chase a seal, never push a resting seal into the water, and never swim towards one. Mothers with pups have seriously hurt people who came too close. If a seal comes towards you in the water, calmly move away and get out.
Fun fact
Tap the bulb to light it up.
Only about 1,600 are left worldwide, about one-third of their historic numbers, but numbers have slowly grown since about 2013.
Once a year they go through a dramatic moult, shedding skin and fur in patches.
Its Hawaiian name, ʻĪlio-holo-i-ka-uaua, means "dog that runs in rough water".
Hawaiian monk seal in the Ocean Atlas
Places we have researched where this animal is recorded. It is never guaranteed, and some places are for watching from the boat only.
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United StatesSources for this page
- NOAA Fisheries
- IUCN Red List, 2024
- WoRMS
- NOAA Fisheries, viewing marine wildlife in Hawai'i
- NOAA Fisheries, stock assessment, 2024
- Hawai'i Division of Aquatic Resources
- NOAA Fisheries, monk seal mothers and pups FAQ
Facts checked 26 September 2026. Photos: Unsplash licence, or Creative Commons as shown on each photo.
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