Hawaiian Monk Seal

The Monk Seal researchers have gotten settled in and have censused most of the atoll. After dinner Wednesday several of us started questioning their lead man about the seals. He answered many questions and gave a synopsis of the present condition of the population. It is dire! There are few to no pups reaching breeding age. The population is so skewed to the older age classes that even if the trend was reversed the seal might not survive. No one knows why the pups are not living long enough to become breeders. He quoted one of the top researchers as saying it is simple arithmetic, in 10-15 years the seal will be extinct! As this is happening, the budget from the federal government for Hawaiian Monk Seal Research is being cut.