Dog attack confirmed as cause of death for endangered Hawaiian monk seal pup on Oʻahu

By Frances Lin

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    HONOLULU (KITV) — What was suspected has been confirmed: It was a dog attack that killed a baby Hawaiian monk seal on O’ahu’s north shore last month.

According to NOAA Fisheries, puncture wounds and the hemorrhaging in the pup’s body are consistent with it being a dog attack.

What makes this death even more tragic is the pup was a female and could have grown to reproduce more monk seals, an endangered species.

This is the third baby monk seal killed by dog attack in the Hawaiian Islands in the last 10 years.

NOAA Fisheries is asking pet owners to keep dogs leashed on beaches, away from seals, adults or pups.

“Even a well-trained dog could react unpredictably when encountering a wild seal,” NOAA Fisheries says.

You can help Hawaii’s monk seal population by reporting all sightings, injuries, and strandings to the statewide NOAA Marine Wildlife Hotline at 888-256-9840. In Hawaiʻi, leash laws are enforced by state, county, and Humane Society officials.

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