Thea C. Johanos

THE HAWAIIAN MONK SEAL ON LAYSAN ISLAND, 1988

The endangered Hawaiian monk seal, Monachus schauinslandi, was studied on TysanIslandintheNorthwesternHawaiianIslandsfrom28Februaryto20 June andfrom 24 October to 13 November 1988. Data were collected on haul-out patterns, population structure, reproductive patterns, and factors affecting survival (primarily adult male aggression toward adult female and immature seals). Census counts including pups ranged from 73 to 128 seals (3 = 105); counts excluding pups ranged from 61 to 116 seals (5 = 87). There were 33 1 individual seals identified (286 excluding pups). All weaned pups and 41 adult males were tagged, and 3 subadults were retagged. Minimum first-year survival of tagged 1987 pups was 86%. At least 45 pups were born (24 males, 19 females, and 2 of unknown sex), and 40 survived to weaning. This represents the highest number of births documented on Laysan Island since extensive research began in 1977. Average nursing period was 39-40 days. Exchanges of pups were observed 17 times between 14 nursing females. Adult female reproductive rate was at least 61%. Of the 45 parturient females observed, 31 were identifiable from previous years. Average time between births in successive years was 382 days. This season, three 5-year-olds and a 22-year-old pupped, representing the youngest and oldest ages at parturition on record. One seal was observed giving birth, and two were observed immediately following parturition. In 1988, interatoll movement was documented for 11 seals, which moved between Laysan Island and Lisianski Island or French Frigate Shoals. At least 92 injuries were sustained across a l l age groups. Seven seals were found entangled in debris and were released by observers. In all, 485 items of debris were inventoried and destroyed. At least 17 seals disappeared during the 1988 field season. Nothing unusual was noted before 12 of these disappearances, but circumstantial evidenceindicates 5were probably deaths. Inaddition, at least 14 seals died. Adult male aggression resulted in 35 injuries, 4 probable deaths, and 7 hown deaths.

Survey for Placental Disease and Reproductive Pathogens in the Endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal (Neomonachus schauinslandi)

Abstract:u2003 There is considerable temporal and spatial variability in the reproductive rates of Hawaiian monk seals (HMS; Neomonachus schauinslandi). Poor reproductive performance limits the recovery of this endangered species; however, causal factors are not fully understood. There is serologic evidence that HMS are exposed to pathogens that can impact reproductive success, but the prevalence of placental infections in HMS has not been evaluated. Placental tissues (n=50), including tissues from 25% of known HMS births, were opportunistically collected in 2011 from six Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and three main Hawaiian Islands. Reproductive histories of the sampled females were representative of the breeding population, as determined through comparisons in age of primiparity and mature reproductive rate. Placental tissues were examined histologically and screened by PCR for Coxiella burnetii, Brucella spp., Chlamydia spp., Leptospira spp., herpesviruses, and Toxoplasma gondii. There was no histologic evidence of placental pathology, and molecular analyses were negative. These negative results can be used to estimate pathogen prevalence in the nonsampled population. For an approximate population size of 1,300 HMS, we can estimate with 99% confidence that the prevalence of each pathogen tested is 9% or less. This is low relative to other pinnipeds and indicates that factors other than reproductive pathology, such as resource limitation, may drive variability in HMS reproductive rates. Further investigation into the cumulative impacts of resource limitation and other stressors on HMS reproduction is warranted.

Range-wide patterns in Hawaiian monk seal movements among islands and atolls

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