Caribbean Monk Seal Declared Extinct by National Marine Fisheries Service

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, the National Marine Fisheries Service declared the Caribbean monk seal to be officially extinct. Once hunted as food and for their oil, the loss of this species is a reminder of the stress that humans put on fragile ocean animal populations. Also vulnerable to extinction are two remaining monk seal species; the Hawaiian monk seal and Mediterranean monk seal. Challenges from climate change and marine debris – floating trash and discarded or lost fishing nets and lines – threaten the survival of ocean animals worldwide, including monk seals.

“The fate of the Caribbean monk seal is a wake-up call for us to act quickly to protect other endangered monk seal populations. We must learn from our mistakes,” said Vicki Cornish, vice president of marine wildlife conservation at Ocean Conservancy. “We must act now to reduce threats to existing monk seal populations before it’s too late. These animals are important to the balance and health of the ocean – we can’t afford to wait.”

The Hawaiian monk seal is critically endangered, with a population of only 1,000 animals. Although there are many reasons for its decline, current threats include entanglement in discarded or lost fishing gear, and rising sea levels due to climate change that threaten to erode critical land-based habitat where seals give birth, rest, and molt. El Niño events, which cause storms similar to those expected to occur with increasing frequency as a result of climate change, drive marine debris closer to monk seal beaches and nearshore waters. Seal pups play with trash, which can lead to entanglement and eventual death. Increased numbers of Hawaiian monk seals have been found entangled in marine debris after El Niño events.

Entanglement of Hawaiian monk seals in marine debris continues to be a major issue even in one of the best-protected ocean places in the United States – the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands national monument, now known as the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. This protected ocean space was established with the help of Ocean Conservancy and dedicated by President George W. Bush in 2006 to relieve some of the human-caused stress on this fragile coral reef ecosystem. However, these protections cannot prevent discarded fishing nets and other marine debris from being washed up on these islands. Ocean Conservancy is working to strengthen the protections in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument and reduce man-made stresses in this fragile ecosystem to ensure the survival of monk seals and other ocean species.

A photo of the Hawaiian monk seal is available upon request. For more information on ocean animals, visit www.oceanconservancy.org. Additional information on the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands can be found at www.oceanconservancy.org/Hawaii.