Are there any zoos or aquariums anywhere with monk seals

Davdhole

Davdhole

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
I just found out about Hawaii not wanting more tourists to come and for people to stop visiting due to the issues overtourism and what comes with that is causing, and Hawaiian monk seals are a species I definitely want to see. I don't want to disrespect the wishes of the native people of Hawaii, so are there any zoos or aquariums that have this species, not just in the US? I couldn't find much info myself.
 
birdsandbats said:
Minnesota is the only facility outside of Hawaii with the species. They are not guaranteed to be seen on exhibit on any given visit however, as they rotate with Common Bottlenose Dolphins.
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It’s worth noting this isn’t a permanent situation, as the dolphins are only there temporarily and will be moving back to Brookfield in the near future.
 
Dhole dude said:
It’s worth noting this isn’t a permanent situation, as the dolphins are only there temporarily and will be moving back to Brookfield in the near future.
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How many seals are left though? Just one or two elderly ones? By the time the dolphins are gone the species may once again be visible only in Hawaii.
 
birdsandbats said:
How many seals are left though? Just one or two elderly ones? By the time the dolphins are gone the species may once again be visible only in Hawaii.
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Just one, as of my visit in 2021, so yes, we’re certainly looking at a phase out here
 
Does anyone have information on how Minnesota came to exhibiting this particular species? It looks like they've been there less than a decade, which seems unusual to me, given how many rarities often seem to be hold-outs from historic captive populations. I am aware these were rescue animals, but was there an expectation they would receive more that eventually changed?
 
JVM said:
Does anyone have information on how Minnesota came to exhibiting this particular species? It looks like they've been there less than a decade, which seems unusual to me, given how many rarities often seem to be hold-outs from historic captive populations. I am aware these were rescue animals, but was there an expectation they would receive more that eventually changed?
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They were transferred from SeaWorld San Antonio in 2015. The zoo had just gone out of Bottlenose Dolphins and needed a replacement, and since the nearby Como Zoo already had the three most common species of Pinniped in the country (California Sea Lion, Harbor Seal, and soon after Gray Seal), they opted for the Hawaiian Monk Seals as a replacement. I don’t believe they expected to receive more seals, but I also don’t believe they had another replacement in mind. I guess we’ll just have to see what happens once the last seal passes away.
 
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From what I've gathered speaking to the keepers, the understanding was that Minnesota would be a permanent facility for Hawaiian monk seals, taking in non-releasable animals. It was later determined that there really aren't a lot of non-releasable animals out there, not enough to reliably fill an exhibit.
 
Not Hawaiian, but there are currently three orphaned Mediterranean monk seal pups (Monachus monachus) being rehabilitated at the specialist unit within Attica Zoo, just outside Athens (Greece). There are peepholes from the public space into the facility's main enclosure. Two will be released imminently, whilst the third, not visible to the public, is undergoing further veterinary care.
 
Aardwolf said:
From what I've gathered speaking to the keepers, the understanding was that Minnesota would be a permanent facility for Hawaiian monk seals, taking in non-releasable animals. It was later determined that there really aren't a lot of non-releasable animals out there, not enough to reliably fill an exhibit.
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Thank you to both you and @Dhole dude for such clean and straightforward explanations of the situation. It's unfortunate that the investment didn't work out long term. I do hope to see Ola before the exhibit is discontinued.
 
MonkeyBat said:
Waikiki Aquarium had and will hopefully again have monk seals. Their seal, Ho'ailona, is temporarily being kept at the University of California.

Sea Life Park Hawaii also has a seal named Kokoa, who is also off display for now due to an exhibit renovation
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The user noted in the op they are not interested in Hawaiian facilities.
 
Waikikis Seals aren’t just at the University of California, they are at UC Santa Cruzs’ Long Marine mammal lab (same place where SeaWorld SD acquired their ringed seal from) where I believe they are still doing an auditory study on the species. They should be back at the aquarium in the next year or so I believe.
 
Westcoastperson said:
Waikikis Seals aren’t just at the University of California, they are at UC Santa Cruzs’ Long Marine mammal lab (same place where SeaWorld SD acquired their ringed seal from) where I believe they are still doing an auditory study on the species. They should be back at the aquarium in the next year or so I believe.
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The Santa Cruz lab is the only place in the UC system with a monk seal, it is Waikiki's solo seal temporarily.

Sealife Park Hawaii also has one, and Minnesota has one. Those three are it.
 
Great Argus said:
The Santa Cruz lab is the only place in the UC system with a monk seal, it is Waikiki's solo seal temporarily.

Sealife Park Hawaii also has one, and Minnesota has one. Those three are it.
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I’m sorry is that a reply to my comment or the earlier one? Or did I say something wrong and I’m reading the reply incorrectly?
 
Westcoastperson said:
I’m sorry is that a reply to my comment or the earlier one? Or did I say something wrong and I’m reading the reply incorrectly?
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I was clarifying a couple things, in that the lab is the only part of the UC system holding them, and that there is only one, as you used plural references.
 
Great Argus said:
I was clarifying a couple things, in that the lab is the only part of the UC system holding them, and that there is only one, as you used plural references.
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That must have been a typo my mistake, the other elderly monk seal died a few months ago according to a docent during my visit.
 
Aleasha said:
Minnesota Zoo
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Welcome on zoochat. Take your time to get familiar with the place. It is bad custom to post information which has already been posted, please double check. This information was already provided in the second post of the thread in more detail.

The use of interpunction is also highly appreciated ;).
 
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