Last updated: August 29, 2025
Article
Devoted Community Aids Work to Enhance Survival of Endangered Seals
On the Hawaiian island of Moloka‘i, a remote community—including Hansen’s disease patients—helps monitor monk seals. Their observations support park staff and partner scientists working to protect the species.
By Glauco Puig-Santana, Madeline Duda, and Kelly Moore
About this article
This article was originally published in the "Picture This" section of Park Science magazine, Volume 39, Number 2, Summer 2025 (August 29, 2025).
NPS / Glauco Puig-Santana
Kalaupapa National Historical Park lies on a remote peninsula on the north side of Molokaʻi, Hawai‘i. It’s surrounded on two sides by ocean and on the third side by sea cliffs more than 1,600 feet high. It was a site of isolation for people with Hansen’s disease in the 1860s. The isolation order was lifted in 1969 after a cure was found, and the site became a national park in 1980.
The park has a population of endangered monk seals, which the residents care for and feel connected to. Some of these residents are the few remaining patients who chose to stay after their isolation order was lifted. As citizen scientists, they keep a watchful eye on monk seals, reporting sightings and concerns to the park’s marine science team. They participate in ongoing seal surveys and assist with tagging the animals.
The community’s observations enormously augment formal surveys. At times, community members spot new pups or seals in distress before marine team members do, particularly on weekends or off-duty hours. Park staff and partners like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Hawai‘i Marine Animal Response, and the state’s Division of Aquatic Resources share insights and ensure the integrity of collected data. This advances understanding of these iconic animals’ movements and behavior and supports their survival.
Eric Brown, the park’s former marine ecologist, linked the community’s deep connection to monk seals with the island’s history of Hansen’s Disease. “Patients sent to Kalaupapa were outcasts, people who were forcibly separated from their families and loved ones,” he said. “They view the seals as more than just another endangered species. They are part of the family here.”
Endemic to the Hawaiian Islands and the Johnston Atoll, there are only about 1,600 wild monk seals left in the world. They are among the most endangered species of seals. Kalaupapa has been an essential pupping and nursing ground for these seals for over 28 years. After seal pups wean, they disperse and move away from the park to other areas. Later in life, most female monk seals return to their natal beach to give birth. Most, if not all, of the females pupping at Kalaupapa give birth on the same beach where they were born.
About the authors
Glauco Puig-Santana is a biological science technician with Kalaupapa National Historical Park and the National Park Service’s Pacific Island Inventory and Monitoring Network. Photo © Michael Langhans.
Madeline Duda is a former SCA intern with the Ridge to Reef partnership at Kalaupapa. She now works for the Hawai'i Department of Aquatic Resources. Photo courtesy of Madeline Duda.
Kelly Moore is a former marine ecologist at Kalaupapa. Currently, she's an expedition leader for National Geographic Pristine Seas. Photo courtesy of Kelly Moore.
Cite this article
Puig-Santana, Glauco, Madeline Duda, and Kelly Moore. 2025. "Devoted Community Aids Work to Enhance Survival of Endangered Seals." Park Science 39 (2). August 29, 2025. https://nps.gov/articles/000/psv39n2_devoted-community-aids-work-to-enhance-survival-of-endangered-seals.htm