WRITE LETTERS SUPPORT 'Hawaiian Monk Seal Day'

Write letters of support for “Hawaiian Monk Seal Day” and to make the Hawaiian monk seal the Hawaii State Mammal

Background: Hawaiian monk seals are in crisis. There are only around 1200 of them alive today and their total population is in decline! This animal is very special to Hawaii. It is native to our islands – only one of two native mammals. It doesn’t live anywhere else in the world – only here in Hawaii! A small and potentially growing number of monk seals reside and are born in the main Hawaiian Islands. Fewer than 100 seals have been sighted here. However, despite the small increase of animals here in the main Hawaiian Islands, the total population across their entire range, which includes the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, is in decline.
Threats to monk seals in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands include
· lack of food,
· entanglement in marine debris, and
· shark attacks.
Seals do not appear to lack food in the main Hawaiian Islands, yet face additional threats including:
· human disturbance,
· infectious diseases,
· fishery interactions, and
· habitat loss.

Everyone must play a part in helping the Hawaiian monk seal survive extinction!

What can you do?: In an effort to gain more public awareness and support, NOAA Fisheries and supporting partners are hoping to create an official “Hawaiian Monk Seal Day” as well as designate the Hawaiian monk seal as the Hawaii state mammal. There are bills currently waiting to be heard in the Senate that can make these hopes become reality. WE NEED YOUR HELP! We need you to write letters of support telling the Senators waiting to hear these bills why you think we should have a “Hawaiian Monk Seal Day” and why the Hawaiian monk seal should be our State Mammal. You can use the template on the back of this sheet or write an original letter. The senate hearing will be happening within the next week or two, so these must be sent in or dropped off as soon as possible! Please use the following address:

Senator Carol Fukanaga
Hawaii State Capitol, Rm. 216
415 South Beretania St.
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813

Mahalo and thank you for doing you part to help the Hawaiian monk seal!

NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Region

EXAMPLE:

(school name)
(address)
(date)

Dear Senator Fukanaga.

Please hear the bills SB 2464 and SB 2465 to create a “Hawaiian Monk Seal Day” and to make the Hawaiian monk seal our State Mammal. These bills are important because:

(Give reasons in your own words):
a) there are only 1200 of the left in the world! These bills would help make people more aware of the endangered status of the monk seal and the crisis situation it is in.
b) the Hawaiian monk seal is special to Hawaii and doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world.
c) the Hawaiian monk seal is endemic to Hawaii and shouldn’t be allowed to go extinct.
d) there are fewer seals being born and their population is declining.
e) it would help call attention to the things that threaten them like marine debris, infectious diseases and human disturbance.
f) people are naturally fascinated by seals.
g) they are a part of our marine ecosystem and `aina.
h) more monk seals are spending time in populated areas and people need to know how to behave around them.
i) other


(closing,)

(name)