A dead Hawaiian monk seal was recovered off the Nanakuli coastline on Oʻahu, according to officials. NOAA Fisheries and local response partners retrieved the animal and plan to perform a necropsy to determine the cause of death. The agency thanked members of the public for quickly reporting the animal and urged anyone with information to call the marine wildlife hotline.
Recovery and next steps
NOAA Fisheries said its response partners, including the Honolulu Ocean Safety Department, the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hawaiʻi Marine Animal Response and NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement, worked together to recover the body and move it for examination. As reported by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, NOAA planned the necropsy following the recovery.
What necropsies can reveal
During necropsies, NOAA looks for signs of disease, entanglement, trauma or other clues that might explain an animal’s death and inform future conservation work. The Hawaiian monk seal is an endangered species, and responders ask the public to report sick, injured…..