LIHU‘E — An outpouring of compassion from the community regarding the recent slayings of two monk seals has driven the reward offered for information leading to arrests and convictions from $3,000 to nearly $11,000 in the past week. “I’ve been
LIHU‘E — An outpouring of compassion from the community regarding the recent slayings of two monk seals has driven the reward offered for information leading to arrests and convictions from $3,000 to nearly $11,000 in the past week.
“I’ve been tremendously surprised and grateful by the response,” said Steve Benjamin, membership coordinator and Web site administrator for Surfrider Foundation Kaua‘i — the nonprofit organization offering the hefty sum.
News of the slayings spread quickly, and individuals from as far as Texas, Maryland and Michigan sent donations to drive up the monetary reward in hopes that someone will provide information pertaining to the deaths.
In fact, non-residents have consisted of 25 to 30 percent of the funds which have been received, according to Benjamin.
“We hope this will provide enough incentive and give people an indication of how serious, not just Hawai‘i, but the whole world feels about the preservation of the monk seal,” Benjamin said.
While much attention has been paid to the recent deaths, Benjamin also said he believes it is important to continue educating the public about the importance of monk seal preservation, which is what collected funds will be used for if there are no arrests or convictions.
“I’m hopeful that our efforts will not only capture the person and bring them to justice, but will further the education about the monk seal and its plight and how the numbers are still dwindling. And, for people to understand the importance of biodiversity and the health of these islands,” Benjamin said.
The Hawaiian monk seal — ‘ilio-holo-i-ka-uaua, or “the dog that runs in the rough seas” — is sometimes referred to as a “living fossil” because it has remained essentially the same for 13 million years, longer than human beings have been on the planet and longer than the Main Hawaiian Islands have been above water, according to the Marine Conservation Biology Institute.
The ancient species originally occurred throughout the Hawaiian archipelago and was “likely extirpated from the Main Hawaiian Islands by Polynesian colonizers 1,500 to 1,600 years ago,” a study published in The Journal of Heredity states.
Susceptible targets for hunters, seal populations dropped upon the arrival of the first European sailors during the 19th Century. They “were hunted to near extinction at the six primary Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.”
In addition to cash contributions, individuals have also been pledging donations, which are only contingent upon conviction. Some businesses have even come forth in pledging items, such as a Custom Cruzer Bike from Kekaha Bike Shop, valued at $600.
“I am hopeful that this will all lead to both a better public awareness of the precarious nature of the monk seals in Hawai‘i, and also the arrest and conviction of whoever was killing them,” said Dr. Carl Berg, a member of Surfrider Kaua‘i.
Benjamin agrees, adding “It really warms my heart, especially because I’m seeing that people really care.”
Individuals are urged to call NMFS Law Enforcement at 1-800-853-1964 with any information concerning the killing of the seals, and will have the opportunity to remain anonymous.
Those who would like to make tax-deductible donations to help raise the reward amount can visit surfriderkauai.ning.com for more information.
