Hawaiian monk seal (ʻīlio holo i ka uaua)

One of the most endangered seals in the world, found only in Hawaiʻi. There are about 1,600, most in the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, but more now haul out on main-island beaches. Its Hawaiian name means dog that runs in rough water. Stay at least 50 feet away (150 feet from a mom and pup).

• About 1,600 range-wide (NOAA, 2024), up from about 1,400 a decade earlier. 34 pups were born in the main Hawaiian Islands in 2024.
• Endangered under the Endangered Species Act; harassing one is a crime. It is Hawaiʻi's official state mammal.
• Seals sleep on beaches for hours; that's normal. Volunteers often put up a rope or signs around them.
• Keep dogs leashed; seals and dogs can pass diseases to each other.
• To report a seal on the beach or an injured or entangled one, use NOAA's reporting line: 888-256-9840.
• Ask Hawaiʻi's logo is a Hawaiian monk seal.

Sources: Maui News: Monk seal counts (NOAA, 2024) · NOAA Fisheries: Monk seal population · NOAA Marine Wildlife Hotline (report injured or stranded animals)

Last checked Oct. 29, 2026. Hours, fees and rules can change, so confirm with the official source before you go.