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~he Dec~ine ~ Recovery o~ t <br />r .. <br />~awaiian Monk Sea <br />Tate Most ~ndan~ered ~ndemic Marine Mammal in tie uni <br />Hawaiian monk seals are the most <br />endangered endemic marine mammal in <br />the USA, and one of the most <br />endangered marine mammals in the <br />world. Over the last 5o years, the <br />Hawaiian monk seal population has <br />declined by more than 60% and is now <br />at its lowest level in recorded history , <br />less than i,aoo individuals. Since 199$ <br />the total number of Hawaiian monk <br />seals declined at an average annual rate <br />of 4.i%. At this current rate of decline, <br />the population size will slip below i,ooo <br />animals in the next few years. This is a <br />pivotal point, from which they may not <br />recover. With public support and <br />effective state management, we will be <br />able to turn this situation around. <br />~soo <br />uo° <br />A~ <br />0 <br />~ ~ ~~ <br />6 <br />g' <br />~o <br />°a $ ixo° <br />m~ <br />i +~oo <br />uM n. . <br />iooo <br />•oo <br />~soe aoo° zoox <br />Year <br />e <br />States <br />zoos <br />Decline in estimated abundance of Hawaiian monk seals <br />at the six main NWHI colonies since X998• <br />These ~uman and environmental factors ~ave contributed to the <br />• Overfishing <br />• Habitat loss <br />• Shark predation <br />• Entanglement <br />• Human disturbance <br />• Food availability <br />• Harassment by male seals <br />• Deaths of pups <br />• Aging population <br />• Harmful algal blooms <br />• Climate change <br />Marine Conservation Biology Institute <br />MCBI Washington California DC Nawaii www.mc6i.org <br />G~ yDD8-3-CS' <br /> <br />M <br />