More Funding for Monk Seals?

This year, Hawaii is expected to receive $5.7 million to aid recovery of the planet’s most endangered marine mammal–the Hawaiian Monk Seal.

The funding marks a $3.6 million increase over last year’s amount.

From Coco Zickos at the Garden Island:

Monk seals are currently “red listed,” said Dr. Mimi Olry, who heads the Marine Mammal Stranding Network on Kaua‘i and serves as the island’s Hawaiian monk seal coordinator.

The listing means they are a critically endangered species and face an extreme risk of extinction, she said.

With only about 1,100 remaining, unless greater efforts are taken the Hawaiian monk seal may soon follow in the footsteps of the Caribbean monk seal’s untimely extinction.