Frequent Questions: Hawaiian Monk Seal Mothers and Pups
Find answers to top questions about Hawaiian monk seal mothers and pups. Please report all monk seal sightings to our statewide NOAA Marine Mammal Stranding Hotline: (888) 256-9840.
What should I do if I discover a monk seal mother and pup?
Call our statewide NOAA Marine Wildlife Hotline, (888) 256-9840, to report any sightings of Hawaiian monk seals. Be sure to make note of and report:
- A description of the location (beach name, island, and GPS coordinates)
- Date and time of sighting
- Any identifying physical characteristics
Learn more about Hawaiian monk seals
Why is there rope or fencing around mother seals with pups?
This temporary perimeter signifies a Hawaiian monk seal mom and pup zone. It establishes a safety area in which the seals can rest and nurse undisturbed. Think of it as a nursery—just as you wouldn’t casually walk into a stranger’s nursery, you shouldn’t enter the seal’s nursery.
You may see NOAA staff, agency partners, or volunteers providing outreach. These volunteers are often educators from non-profit organizations that have received NOAA grant funding. Other volunteers are managed by the Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources. The volunteers provide beachgoers with valuable information about monk seals and provide NOAA with important on-scene reports about seal activities.
Learn more about the non-profit organizations that help us protect Hawaiian monk seals:
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How much space should I give a mother-pup pair?
In general, we advise you to maintain at least 150 feet (about 45 meters) between yourself and mother monk seals and their pups. For perspective, that’s the equivalent of approximately four city buses!
Learn more about viewing marine wildlife in Hawaiʻi
Why do mother seals with pups need space?
A mother seal may abandon her pup if disturbed. This is a critical time for the pair—the pup needs its mother’s milk to develop properly. Nursing also allows the pup to build reserves to help sustain healthy body weight when the mother weans that pup and it must learn to find food on its own.
Giving these seals the space they need to nurse and rest on the beach is also important for your safety—in addition to the safety and survival of the Hawaiian monk seal population.
A mother seal is very protective of her pup and may bite if you get too close and she perceives you as a threat.
Is it safe to swim in the water when a mother seal and her pup are in the area?
For your safety and the safety of the pup, we strongly recommend swimming at a different beach.
While the average monk seal is generally not aggressive, a nursing mother seal is a “different animal” and can be very protective of their pups and have inflicted serious wounds on nearby swimmers.
You will not be able to outswim a mother seal should she see you as a threat. The average person can swim 3 feet per second, but an adult monk seal swims at least three times that speed. A monk seal can also swim in high speed bursts—it can be on the shore in one moment and approach you in the water in the blink of an eye. You will likely have no warning of an attack before it happens, so entering the water while a mom and pup are in the area will always pose a risk.
How long do the mother seals and pups stay together?
Monk seal mothers typically nurse their young for 5–7 weeks. However, it’s impossible to know exactly when a mother monk seal will stop nursing and wean her pup.
During the nursing period, the mother will not leave to forage for food. Instead, she will stay with her pup and fast until she has used up her energy reserves and it’s time to wean. At this point, the mother will abruptly wean the pup. Even if the mother returns to the general area after weaning, they are both now independent seals.
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What happens to the pup after the mother seal weans it?
A weaned pup can weigh nearly 200 pounds and is capable of taking care of itself once weaned from its mother. It will likely stay in the area where it was born for at least a few weeks, and maybe longer. During this time it is learning to forage on its own.
Seals at this age are particularly curious, and they may seek social interaction with humans, especially if no other seals are nearby. Human-seal interactions can be very dangerous, especially as a pup grows. Seals play rough, may bite each other, and can throw their weight around. A seal that views people as another seal and playmate may treat humans in the same way.
Never interact with seals, especially pups. Not only is it dangerous, but encouraging interactive behavior may result in the pup losing its wild tendencies. Human-seal interactions can reduce a pup’s chances of being able to survive in the wild.
And remember, never feed a seal. A seal that associates humans with food may suddenly become aggressive towards anyone in the expectation that all people must have food.
Sometimes a seal may be born on a popular beach. We may determine that it is best for both the seal population and the public if we relocate the pup after it weans. Moving the pup to an undisclosed location will help prevent human-seal interactions and allow the pup to grow up wild, providing hope for the species’ long-term recovery.
When is peak monk seal pupping season in Hawaiʻi?
Hawaiian monk seals give birth throughout the year, but peak pupping season is typically spring through summer (March through August). Gestation is approximately 11 months, and females typically give birth on land to a single pup.
How big are mom and pup?
At birth, Hawaiian monk seal pups are approximately 25–35 pounds and 3 feet long. Thanks to the fat-rich milk from mom, the pups increase significantly in weight during the nursing period. Upon weaning, they can weigh nearly 200 pounds!
On average adult Hawaiian monk seals weigh 400–600 pounds and can be 6–7 feet long. Mother seals do not eat while nursing, so it’s normal to see them decrease in weight during the nursing period.
Why are the pups black?
Hawaiian monk seal pups are born with a black coat of fur. As pups age, they shed this dark fur for a silvery-gray coat, with lighter cream coloration on their underside.
Older seals are dark gray to brown on their back and light gray to yellowish brown on their belly.
Is the pup a male or female?
We confirm a pup's sex by looking at its belly—which we only do from a distance. Our priority is to give the mom and pup space by not disturbing their nursing time.
At what age do mother seals stop reproducing?
Female Hawaiian monk seals can pup into their mid- to late-20s, possibly even older!
What other ways can I help keep mom-pup pairs safe?
Avoid making loud sounds and quick movements
Even speaking loudly can be a disruption to the mom-pup pair. You may photograph the seals but please do not use flash photography or drones. And remember to stay behind any temporary perimeters or at least 150 feet away from the pair—both on land and in water.
Keep your dog leashed
If you bring your dog to the beach, please keep your dog safe and follow local leash laws. Vaccinate your pets and keep dogs leashed at all times. Even well-trained dogs can be hard to control when they see a monk seal. Dogs have injured and even killed monk seals through attacks and bites, and they can disturb seals resting or nursing on the beach. Dogs and seals can also transmit diseases to each other.
Call us if you see something suspicious or concerning
Hawaiian monk seals are protected under Hawaiʻi state and federal laws. Report potential harassment to authorities:
- NOAA Marine Wildlife Hotline: (888) 256-9840 (best number for all protected marine wildlife emergencies, enforcement is option 6)
- NOAA Office of Law Enforcement: (800) 853-1964
- DLNR DOCARE: (808) 643-DLNR (3567)
You can also send videos, photos, and social media links to respectwildlife@noaa.gov or download and submit a report through the DLNRTip app.