Endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal Pup Mauled to Death by Dogs

Two Hawaiian residents have been hit with a large fine after being held responsible for a dog attack that killed a critically endangered seal.

The couple were informed on June 11 they will have to pay the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) $20,000 after a female Hawaiian monk seal pup was found dead from a dog attack.

Hawaiian monk seals (Neomonachus schauinslandi) are a critically endangered species, with only 1,600 remaining in the wild. The loss of any monk seal would be a blow to the population, but the loss of a female monk seal is particularly harmful, given that she could have spawned more monk seals in the future.

NOAA has not disclosed how the couple is connected to the dog, but have said they are responsible for the killing. Stefanie Gutierrez, a spokesperson for NOAA Fisheries, told The Associated Press that "enforcement proceedings were ongoing," meaning that she could not disclose more details of the case.

A Hawaiian Monk Seal and her new pup just hours after birth on a beach in Waikiki on Oahu, Hawaii. A female of the critically endangered species has been killed by a dog. A Hawaiian Monk Seal and her new pup just hours after birth on a beach in Waikiki on Oahu, Hawaii. A female of the critically endangered species has been killed by a dog. Erik Kabik Photography/ MediaPunch/MediaPunch/IPx/Associated Press

The seal pup was believed to be very young, as she was first spotted with her mother, Luana, that morning and then attacked on the same evening.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources have launched their own investigation into the attack to determine if any county or state laws were broken. According to the department, one of the two individuals fined was a state parks employee and called in the attack when it happened.

This is not the first instance of a dog attacking a seal. Over 7,000 miles away in London, residents in Hammersmith witnessed a dog savage a seal named by locals as "Freddie Mercury," in March 2021.

Named after the late Queen frontman, the seal used to sun itself along the River Thames, but it found itself under pressure when a dog off its leash attacked him. Freddie sustained a broken bone, dislocated flipper, and damage to his joints and nerves. Despite the South Essex Wildlife Hospital trying their best to keep him alive, he had to be put down due to his injuries.

A harbor seal near Whitstable, Kent, in the U.K.. It is included in the count of seals along the Thames and its estuaries up to Tilbury A harbor seal near Whitstable, Kent, in the U.K.. It is included in the count of seals along the Thames and its estuaries up to Tilbury Gareth Fuller/Associated Press

Eyewitness Duncan Phillips told the BBC at the time that the attack was "quite shocking."

Unlike in Hawaii, the dog's owner, lawyer Rebecca Sabben-Clare QC, did not face charges. However she did give a donation to the South Essex Wildlife Hospital for their efforts.

The Thames is a hugely popular river for seals. In the Zoological Society of London (ZSL)'s 2021 survey 574 harbor seals, and 685 gray seals were counted on Thames sandbanks. These seals, combined with the estimated number of seals remaining in the water, resulted in a final count of 797 harbor seals and 2,866 gray seals in the river.