Shark bite killed endangered young Hawaiian monk seal, nonprofit suspects

An endangered Hawaiian monk seal died from what experts believe was a “severe shark bite,” despite efforts to save her, according to a Hawaii nonprofit.

The young, female monk seal, known as RM28, died on Jan. 16 after being brought in to Ke Kai Ola, the Marine Mammal Center’s hospital, days earlier, the nonprofit said in a Jan. 25 news release.

“Our team is deeply saddened to report the loss of RM28, especially knowing that this 3-year-old seal could have played an important role to further boost the population of this endangered species,” Sophie Whoriskey, the center’s veterinarian, said in the release.

Days before RM28 died, the Kauaʻi Marine Wildlife Stranding Hotline received several calls about an “injured seal floating nearshore,” the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries said in a news release.

Veterinarians and biologists determined RM28 would likely die without treatment and brought her to the Marine Mammal Center for care, NOAA Fisheries said.

The center said it treated RM28 “for extensive and severe wounds consistent with shark bite trauma,” which included giving her antibiotics and pain medication.

During treatment, RM28 showed some signs of improvement, including eating fish, NOAA Fisheries said. However, she remained in critical condition and died after “days of effort to save her.”

“She was a well-known seal on the beaches of Kauaʻi, and we are saddened by this loss,” Jamie Thomton, NOAA Fisheries’ Kauaʻi response coordinator, said in the center’s release.

A necropsy showed RM28 “likely died directly from the severe trauma,” the nonprofit said, adding it plans on testing blood work to see if she had any underlying health conditions.

“Although shark attacks are not uncommon, negative human interaction, fisheries interaction via hooking and entanglements, and diseases like toxoplasmosis are the main threats the endangered Hawaiian monk seal population faces on the main Hawaiian Islands,” the nonprofit said.

There are only about 1,500 Hawaiian monk seals alive today, “making it the most endangered seal or sea lion species in the United States,” according to the nonprofit.

“But thanks to conservation efforts, this species is making a slow recovery,” the nonprofit said.

The center said it “has rehabilitated and released 37 monk seals” since 2014.

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