Monk seals

Description

A true "living fossil," the Hawaiian monk seal is the oldest living member of its order of pinnipeds. It has remained virtually unchanged for over 15 million years. But today, this ancient species is in serious jeopardy. Frank Parrish and his team at the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Honolulu Laboratory, have invited Dr. Mike Heithaus to help on an ongoing quest to understand what is killing these extraordinary creatures. What he discovered shocked scientists and explained, at least in part, why the problem was not alleviated: the seals were, in reality, foraging and feeding in waters far outside the boundaries of the protected areas, where commercial fishing or other outside factors could still impact their prey population.

Runtime

24 min

Series

Subjects

Genre

Date of Publication

2004

Database

Alexander Street

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