- Location: Hawaii, United States.
- Founded: TBC.
- Species: Hawaiian Monk Seal.
- Projects: The Monk Seal Foundation focuses on scientific, education, protection and recovery programs to help the Hawaiian Monk Seal to survive in the wild.
Monk Seal Foundation Overview
They have begun a three-year research study of the species in the Main Hawaiian Islands. This is in partnership with National Geographic, NOAA and The Marine Mammal Center to understand their feeding and underwater behavior.
The organization manages the Oahu and Molokai Monk Seal Response Teams who protect the notable marine mammals during haulouts (when they temporarily leave the water usually to mate or give birth).
Their educational efforts include public service announcements, outreach programs, video training, and information distributed to schools and hotels.
They have also set up the Hō’ike ā Maka project which allows two high school students to participate in fieldwork.
The Monk Seal Foundation is currently raising funds for the long-term care of non-releasable seals who due to critical injuries or other environmental factors cannot survive in the wild.
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What is the Monk Seal Foundation?
The Monk Seal Foundation is a nonprofit organization created to protect the Monk Seals. It is an organization dedicated to the preservation of monk seals and does this by funding programs and research for Monk Seal conservation, advocacy, education, and outreach efforts.
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Monk Seal Foundation’s Mission
The Monk Seal Foundation’s mission is to protect the world’s rarest sea mammal, Hawai‘i’s Monk Seals. Monk seals are an endangered species that live in the Hawaiian Islands. Monk seals give birth on the beaches of Hawai`i but then head back into the water with their young.
Because Monk seal mothers are too large to climb over the vertical lava rock cliffs on some of Hawai‘i’s islands, their pups are often left behind when they migrate.
These seals are in danger of being attacked by Hawaiian sharks, starved, be injured with fishing gear or marine debris, and dehydrated. These are among the reason why the seal populations are declining and teh biggest threats to the seal’s number. Monk seals are also losing their critical habitat to climate change.
The Monk Seal Foundation’s mission is to help Monk Seals survive in the wild for generations to come. Monk Seals depend on healthy coral reefs and protected beaches where they can raise their pups.
Monk Seals also need healthy, productive Monk Seal and Monk Seal/Human communities that can endure and thrive for the next 100 years. The Monk Seal Foundation believes we must all work together to ensure a Monk Seal-friendly future for Hawai`i and its Monk Seals.
Hawai‘i has one of the highest extinction rates in the world, Monk Seals are one of the most endangered mammals on earth. Monk Seals need our help to survive in Hawai‘i and around the world.
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Conservation efforts
There are two Monk Seal species: Hawaiian Monk Seal and Mediterranean Monk Seal. Currently, there are only an estimated 1100 Monk Seals left in the wild.
Since Hawaiian Monk Seals and other seal species live on remote islands and only come onto land to sleep and birth their pups, they often fall victim to sharks, diseases from introduced species, habitat loss, debris, and human interference.
Due to this Monk Seal population decline, Monk Seals are considered Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The Monk Seal Foundation is working hard to protect Monk Seals from extinction through these conservation efforts:
- Monk Seal patrols on Kaua’i, Hawai’i Islands, and northwestern Hawaiian islands
- Monk Seal conservation and advocacy in the State of Hawai’i
- Monk Seal research projects and education programs for local and fishing communities
- Conserve Seal species such as Hawaiian monk seal, Mediterranean monk seal or Caribbean monk seal, and more.
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Is Monk Seal Foundation legit?
Monk Seal Foundation has been operating for years. Monk Seal Foundation carries no debt, relies on public donations, and educates the world about the plight of monk seals through science, advocacy, media releases, and grassroots outreach programs.
You may also visit Monk Seal Foundation’s website to learn more about our nonprofit marine mammal research organization that specializes in Hawaiian Monk Seals.
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How to help
You can help the Monk Seal Foundation by making a one-time, monthly or in-kind donation, by leaving a legacy or supporting their work by purchasing some of their books and toys.
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