The Hawaiian Monk Seal Coursework Example

The Hawaiian Monk Seal Student’s Name Institution’s Affiliation Hawaiian Monk Seal Introduction Hawaiian Monk Seal is an organism that lives in coral reefs, atolls and sandy beaches of Hawaii Island Baker, Harting, Johanos, & Littman, 2016). They belong to genus Monachus together with other species of monk seals such as Caribbean Monk Seal and Mediterranean monk seal and elephant seal. A major difference among these species is that they are geographically widely separated. The Hawaiian monk seal is a critically endangered species in Hawaii with its population falling by 60% in the last fifty years (Di Sciara & Kotomatas, 2016). This situation has been drawing concern from various environment conservation bodies for the need to conserve and recover this species. According to Baker, et al., (2016), “the U.S. government, through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Hawaiian Island National Wildlife Refuge (HINWR), has been educating the public about the need to conserve the little number of Hawaiian monk seals remaining (p.322).” Living conditions and the roles of Hawaiian monk seal to the environment. Hawaiian Monk Seals are found in the warm tropical waters of Hawaiian coastline with a temperature of between 13 ºC to 20 ºC (Di Sciara & Kotomatas, 2016). They feed on small bony fish such as eels, small and big octopi and crustaceans such as crabs, lobsters, and shrimps. Nonetheless, this species has a high foraging capacity that enables them to have a diverse diet. The seal is considerably important to humans and the environment, in which it lives. Their foraging capacity enables them to control a population of other organisms. They feed on the excess number of the organisms, therefore, curbing overpopulation. Some of the monk seal’s body parts are significant to humans, for example, the skin was used in the manufacture of clothes, and its meat is nutritious and was largely consumed during the World War II b...