Hawaiʻi · 2001—2026
Hawaiian monk seal
Seals around Hawaiʻi.
Follow public seal observations from Hawaiʻi. Browse published records, explore the places and stories behind them, or share an encounter with the Seal Watch team.
- Total reports
- 93
- Latest observation
Public reports · newest first
Public records archive
5 January 2005—21 September 2026
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39 of 93 reports
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Explore Hawaiʻi sightings
All areasIsland markers filter reports. Place markers show named shores or offshore islands from published records, never exact animal positions. Counts are reports, not seals.
75 of 93 reports name a mapped island · 32 have a named shore or island reference
Main Hawaiian Islands same scale
Kauaʻi coast enlarged
Oʻahu coast enlarged
Reported islands west to east
Named shores and islands
- Miloliʻi2 reports
- Poʻipū Beach2 reports
- Kaʻena Point1 report
- Camp Erdman shoreline1 report
- Pōkaʻī Bay2 reports
- Kahe Point5 reports
- Paradise Cove2 reports
- Three Tables Beach1 report
- White Plains Beach5 reports
- Waikīkī shoreline1 report
- Kaimana Beach2 reports
- Baby Makapuʻu tide pools1 report
- Mānana (Rabbit Island)6 reports
- Lahaina shoreline1 report
Other reported areas
These records give only a state or county area. Their shoreline remains unspecified.
Outline: Natural Earth. Place references: USGS, State of Hawaiʻi, NOAA and University of Hawaiʻi.
Reports over time
Select a year, then a month. Counts describe published reports; one animal may appear in several reports.
Grouped by each record’s archive date. Approximate dates keep their original labels in the records below.
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Date: 2026Reported: R407 (Kawika) MonkSealMania / Team R&B
Observation: R407 was reported alone on shore.
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Date: 2026Reported: RL20 (Kalua) MonkSealMania / Team R&B
Observation: RL20 was reported swimming past toward Ko Olina.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified MonkSealMania / Marilyn
Observation: Marilyn reported six seals during 12:55–15:07, including RV50, RV76, another weaned pup, a juvenile male, and two subadult females.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified MonkSealMania / Team R&B
Observation: An unidentified seal was seen swimming toward Ko Olina. The observers could not obtain enough identifying detail.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified MonkSealMania / Marilyn
Observation: Marilyn reported eight seals during 12:56–15:02, including three weaned pups. One pup was tentatively identified as RV76.
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Date: 2026Reported: R407 (Kawika) MonkSealMania / Team R&B
Observation: R407 was reported resting on the beach.
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Date: 2026Reported: RL12 (Aukai) MonkSealMania / Team R&B
Observation: RL12 was reported sleeping on shore.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified MonkSealMania / Marilyn
Observation: Marilyn recorded an adult male in molt and three weaned pups. One pup was attributed to PO13; the others were not individually identified.
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Date: 2026Reported: RT68 (Mana) NOAA Fisheries
Observation: Responders found RT68 deceased following a report of a seal in distress.
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Date: 2026Reported: RV36 NOAA Fisheries
Observation: RV36 was recovered deceased from an unattended fishing net offshore.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified MonkSealMania / Marilyn
Observation: Marilyn reported nine seals during 11:58–14:09, including a mother–pup pair attributed to RH76 (Kala) and PO13. Other seals were described by age, coat, sex and tags.
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Date: 2026Reported: RV58 (formerly PO11) NOAA Fisheries
Observation: Rocky's pup was tagged RV58 and released after weaning the previous day.
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Date: 2026Reported: RV96 (ʻĀnela ʻAuinalā) NOAA Fisheries
Observation: The weaned pup was released at a new beach and explored the water.
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Date: 2026Reported: RK96 (Kaiwi) and pup Hawaiʻi DLNR / HMAR
Observation: Kaiwi gave birth to a pup at sunset on May 3. The state announcement identifies the mother as RK96.
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Date: 2026Reported: RN14 (Kalani) MonkSealMania / Team R&B
Observation: RN14 was the seal reported during the observers' visit to the beach.
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Date: 2026Reported: RL20 (Kalua) MonkSealMania / Team R&B
Observation: RL20 was reported resting alone.
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Date: 2026Reported: KG89 (Huakai) / RL12 (Aukai) MonkSealMania / Team R&B
Observation: The observers reported KG89 and RL12 on the beach.
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Date: 2026Reported: RG32 MonkSealMania / Team R&B
Observation: RG32 was reported alone on the rocks and alert.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified MonkSealMania / Marilyn
Observation: One juvenile female with two red tags was recorded during a brief 12:44–12:52 observation session.
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Date: 2026Reported: RH32 (Kaʻale) NOAA Fisheries
Observation: NOAA reported RH32 hauled out with typical behavior and no visible illness.
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Date: 2026Reported: Temp 402 (Naʻau; N45) MonkSealMania / Team R&B
Observation: The young seal identified as Temp 402 / N45 was resting ashore. Observers described an improved appearance but noted that it still looked underweight.
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Date: 2026Reported: RL20 / RH76 (Kala) / R3CX (Nalu) MonkSealMania / Team R&B
Observation: The observers reported RL20, RH76, and R3CX hauling out in the bay after watching seals foraging offshore.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified MonkSealMania / Marilyn
Observation: Marilyn recorded an adult male, a subadult female, a juvenile, and an adult female during the 12:15–14:22 observation session.
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Date: 2026Reported: RN14 (Kalani) / RL08 MonkSealMania / Team R&B
Observation: RN14 was initially resting alone on shore. RL08 had joined him when the observers checked again.
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Date: 2026Reported: KG89 (Huakai) MonkSealMania / Team R&B
Observation: KG89 was reported resting on the ʻEwa side of the beach during rain and a rising tide.
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Date: 2026Reported: RW02 / R330 / RL47 / RP24 / RN58 / R420 MonkSealMania / Tammy and Lesley
Observation: Tammy and Lesley reported six seals: RW02, R330 (Squinty), RL47 (Kamakana), RP24 (Mohala), RN58 (Luana), and R420.
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Date: 2026Reported: RG32 / RM31 (Kai) MonkSealMania / Team R&B
Observation: RG32 and RM31 were reported resting together on the rocks.
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Date: 2026Reported: RH48 (Lei Ola) / R3CX (Nalu) MonkSealMania / Team R&B
Observation: RH48 was seen foraging in the morning. A later visit recorded RH48 and R3CX foraging on the rest-camp side of the bay.
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Date:Reported: Recently weaned male RL36 (Makoa) NOAA Fisheries
Observation: NOAA reported recently weaned male RL36 (Makoa) deceased on Oʻahu's North Shore.
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Date:Reported: Yearling male RK88 (Kuokala) NOAA Fisheries
Observation: NOAA reported RK88 deceased at Camp Erdman, Kaʻena Point.
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Date:Reported: Female pup RL44 (Nanea) NOAA Fisheries
Observation: Female pup RL44, later known as Nanea, was born at Paradise Cove.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified male pup NOAA Fisheries
Observation: A days-old male pup was found deceased at the tide pools.
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Date:Reported: RH58 and pup later identified as RJ58 (Kaimana) NOAA Fisheries
Observation: RH58 gave birth to a pup at Waikīkī, later identified as RJ58 and known as Kaimana.
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Date:Reported: R8HY MonkSealMania / daily field account
Observation: R8HY was documented at Mokulēʻia in a dated daily field account.
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Date:Reported: R5AY and pup Kauaʻi Seals field account
Observation: R5AY gave birth to a pup on Oʻahu.
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Date: 2011Reported: Duke RA12; Buster RV08; Kolohe RW22; KC RK28; Irma R010; Pohaka RO28; Kermit R4DG; Ewa Girl RS00; Makaiwi R4DF MonkSealMania / DB daily field account
Observation: The dated field account records nine identified seals on Oʻahu: three together at Rabbit Island; KC at Alan Davis Estate; Irma at Makapuʻu Beach; Pohaka at Electric Beach; Kermit at White Plains; Ewa Girl at Kalaeloa Beach; and Makaiwi at Nimitz Cottages. The named IDs are observer attributions.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Observation: A Hawaiian monk seal became caught in a gill net about 100 feet offshore at Makua Beach and was found dead after likely drowning.
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Date:Reported: Chester Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Observation: Chester was reported on the Waikīkī shoreline.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Observation: A Hawaiian monk seal was reported sleeping on the beach beside Kamehameha Highway in Kaaawa. Residents said it had been there since early morning.