An endangered adult Monk Seal resting on Ke'e Beach in Kaua'i, Hawaii.

---

Monk seals are among the most endangered of seals, and were declared officially endangered in November of 1976. They are currently protected by the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. An estimated 1100 monk seals are left as of 2010, and human activity continues to pare down their numbers. These majestic seals like to come ashore and sun themselves on popular Hawaiian beaches, but tourists beware - even 'harassing' a monk seal is against the law!

---

Size: 3751px × 2511px
Location: Ke'e Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
Photo credit: © Shandie Poitras / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: activities, adult, animals, beach, beached, beast, biology, breed, breeds, brink, corpulent, creature, disturb, dog, endangered, endangering, environment, extinction, fat, flippers, hawaii, heat, helpless, hot, human, humid, kaua, kauai, lazy, loner, majestic, mammal, marine, monachus, monk, muggy, muzzle, napping, native, natural, nature, ocean, organic, peaceful, primitive, rare, rares, restful, rough, runs, sand, schauinslandi, seal, seals, sleeping, solitary, species, sun, sunny, type, unspoiled, untouched, water, whiskers, wild, wilderness