The ultimate goal of this project is to promote the long-term recovery of the endangered hawaiian monk seal (HMS) (neomonachus schauinslandi / `ilio holo i KA uaua) population

The Marine Mammal Center received a $112,099 Project Grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under the Marine Mammal Data Program (CFDA 11.439), effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The award funds critical rehabilitation and health assessment services for endangered Hawaiian monk seals (Neomonachus schauinslandi) at the Ke Kai Ola Hawaiian Monk Seal Hospital in Kona. Specifically, the Center will rehabilitate 4–81 injured or ill Hawaiian monk seals annually, providing comprehensive medical care and health assessments that include infectious disease screening, advanced clinical diagnostics, and post-mortem investigations when necessary. The Center will also archive and maintain standardized health data, diagnostic images, and tissue samples to support disease surveillance monitoring and inform conservation efforts through the Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program.

Additionally, the award funds emergency preparedness enhancements for the hospital and the Pacific Islands Region Marine Mammal Response Network. These activities include hosting an Aquatic Animal Life Support Operators (AALSO) Level I Life Support and Water Quality Certification Course for eight internal staff and volunteers plus 20+ personnel from local partner organizations, and purchasing infrastructure improvements such as a backup power generator, electrical modifications to ensure critical freezer operations during outages, and a medical crash cart for emergency supply management. These investments strengthen the hospital's operational resilience and build regional capacity for marine mammal health and stranding response.

In the project period, we will maintain our critical rehabilitation work. We will also strengthen emergency preparedness for the hawaiian monk seal hospital, KE KAI OLA, and for the pacific islands region marine mammal response network. We will achieve these goals through the following objectives: 1. Rehabilitate 4 - 81 injured or ILL HMS, providing high-quality medical care to each patient. 2. Conduct a comprehensive health assessment for each patient, including infectious disease screening, advanced clinical diagnostics, and post-mortem investigation when necessary (prescott priority #1C, disease surveillance). 3. Archive and store standardized health data, including diagnostic images and tissue samples, to monitor health trends, inform conservation efforts, and support the hawaiian monk seal research program (hmsrp) at NOAA fisheries (prescott priority #1I, data entry and analysis). 4. Support the marine mammal health and stranding and entanglement response network by hosting an aquatic animal life support operators (aalso) level i life support and water quality certification course at KE KAI OLA for four staff, four volunteers, and 20+ individuals from local partner organizations (prescott priority #3B, collaborative response preparedness). 5. Enhance hospital emergency preparedness (especially for power outages) by purchasing a back-up power generator, contracting with an electrician to ensure our walk-in freezer can be run on a generator, and purchasing a medical crash cart to efficiently move and store supplies needed in emergency situations (prescott priority #1F, preparedness).