COURTESY HAWAII MARINE ANIMAL RESPONSE
Endangered Hawaiian monk seal RT68, also known as Mana, was found dead at “Three Tables” on Oahu’s North Shore. NOAA is conducting a post-mortem exam to determine the cause of his death.
Federal wildlife officials confirmed the death of another Hawaiian monk seal on Oahu.
The seal, identified by its flipper tags as RT68 and known to most as Mana, was found dead at a popular beach known as “Three Tables” on Oahu’s North Shore. Monk seal experts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Mana was found dead on Saturday.
NOAA said its nonprofit partner, Hawaii Marine Animal Response, along with state officials, received a community tip about a seal in distress. Upon arrival, HMAR personnel found Mana dead.
Mana was a 2-year-old male seal regularly sighted on the North Shore. He was born to monk seal R303, also known as BG, in December 2024, which was later in the pupping season than usual. Sunset Elementary School students named him Mana, meaning strong and powerful.
NOAA said his death marks the fourth Hawaiian monk seal death on Oahu this year.
Earlier this month, a monk seal pup identified as RV36 was found dead, entangled in an unattended fishing net near Mokuleia Beach Park. Two other seals, named ‘Umi‘umi and Ka‘ale, have died from toxoplasmosis, a parasitic disease.
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NOAA will perform a necropsy, or post-mortem exam on Mana to determine the cause of his death noting that the seal was hooked.
“When our partners recovered RT68, they confirmed the presence of a small fishing hook in the seal’s lip,” said NOAA in a post. “These kinds of superficial hookings are typically not life threatening. It’s important that we conduct a thorough necropsy to learn as much as we can about what may have happened to this seal.”
The NOAA Office of Law Enforcement has been informed of the seal’s death as part of standard procedures.
Hawaiian monk seals are among the most endangered seal species in the world, with only about 1,600 individuals remaining in the wild. They are protected by both state and federal laws.
Wildlife officials recommend maintaining a respectful distance of at least 150 feet from mom-and-pup pairs, and for fishermen to use barbless hooks and leave an area when monk seals are present.
NOAA also asks the public to report injured, entangled or dead seals to its Marine Wildlife Hotline at (888) 256-9840.