Publications

reproduction, growth and development, and juvenile mortality in the hawaiian monk seal.		1968	5691156
macro-analytical methods used to analyze tissues of the hawaiian monk seal, monachus schauinslandi, for organochlorine pesticides, polychlorobiphenyls, and pentachlorophenol.		1981	6796157
hematology and serum chemistry of the young hawaiian monk seal (monachus schauinslandi).	between january 1984 and may 1987, blood samples were collected from 12 young (3- to 6-mo-old) hawaiian monk seals (monachus schauinslandi) that were captured in the wild and held in captivity. all samples evaluated were from clinically normal animals. average hematologic and serum chemistry values were not remarkable for a young diving mammal. the blood and serum analyses performed established reference ranges, which can be used as indicators of health status for this endangered species.	1988	3373629
seasonal testosterone pattern in hawaiian monk seals (monachus schauinslandi).	blood samples from four captive male hawaiian monk seals were collected at intervals of one month for one year for testosterone assay. plasma testosterone concentrations, measured by radioimmunoassay, revealed a clear seasonal pattern. the lowest mean testosterone concentration (0.09 +/- 0.04 ng ml-1) occurred in january, and the highest (1.78 +/- 0.40 ng ml-1) in june. the seasonal occurrence of births and of injuries related to mating in wild populations of hawaiian monk seals showed a distinc ...	1992	1432968
pathological findings in the hawaiian monk seal.	postmortem examinations were performed on 45 hawaiian monk seals (monachus schauinslandi) collected during field research on the beaches of the northwestern hawaiian islands (usa) from 1981 to 1985. both males and females of all age groups, perinatal through adult, were examined. frequent findings included parasites, trauma, cardiovascular disease (congenital and acquired), and respiratory infections. emaciation was a common condition. all animals except neonates were infected with parasites; in ...	1992	1512875
testosterone response to a gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist in hawaiian monk seals (monachus schauinslandi).	adult male hawaiian monk seals were administered a gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (gnrh) agonist to determine its effectiveness in reducing the testicular production of testosterone. blood samples were collected from four treated seals and two control seals at weekly intervals for 10 weeks and again at the beginning of the following breeding season. the gnrh-agonist had an initial, brief, stimulating effect on circulating testosterone, but this was followed by an inhibitory effect that lasted f ...	1993	8464023
growth in pinnipeds.	this review presents summary figures of, and fits growth curves to, data on body lengths (as standard length, sl, whenever possible) of pinnipeds at ages estimated to o.i y. (1) generalized von bertalanffy (vb) growth curves are fitted to most data: lx = l infinity (i - ea(x-x0)b, lx is length at age x, x0 is the origin of the curve (here chosen a priori as time of initiation of embryonic growth), l infinity is asymptotic length, a (which is negative) determines rate of approach to the asymptote ...	1993	8457634
the nucleotide sequence of the mitochondrial dna molecule of the grey seal, halichoerus grypus, and a comparison with mitochondrial sequences of other true seals.	the sequence of the mtdna of the grey seal, halichoerus grypus, was determined. the length of the molecule was 16,797 base pairs. the organization of the molecule conformed with that of other eutherian mammals but the control region was unusually long due to the presence of two types of repeated motifs. the grey seal and the previously reported harbor seal, phoca vitulina, belong to different but closely related genera of family phocidae, true (or earless) seals. in order to determine the degree ...	1993	8308902
reproductive morphology and status of female hawaiian monk seals (monachus schauinslandi) fatally injured by adult male seals.	female hawaiian monk seals at laysan island in the northwestern hawaiian islands seasonally risk aggressive mating attempts by groups of adult male monk seals. these attacks, which also target immature female and male seals at a lower frequency, result in injuries that are often fatal and are termed mobbings. this study was undertaken to assess the reproductive status of nine female seals that died after mobbing attacks and to obtain basic morphological data of reproductive tracts from ten femal ...	1994	8182594
a molecular view of pinniped relationships with particular emphasis on the true seals.	phylogenetic analysis of conservative nucleotide substitutions in 18 complete sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene of phocidae (true seals), odobenidae (walruses), and otariidae (sea lions and fur seals), plus three ursid and three felid sequences, identified the pinnipeds as monophyletic with otariidae and odobenidae on a common evolutionary branch. analysis of total nucleotide differences separated the evolutionary lineages of northern and southern phocids. both lineages are distin ...	1995	7714914
the impact of parasites on marine mammals: a review.	the design and implementation of conservation plans for marine mammals is a matter of public concern. however, very little is known about the role of parasites in the dynamics of marine mammal populations. this is probably due to methodological constraints concerning sampling biases, poor knowledge of the biology of the hosts and parasites and difficulty and costy of experimental studies. however, current evidence supports the theory that parasites may regulate marine mammal populations. crassic ...	1997	9802082
use of a gnrh agonist to suppress testosterone in wild male hawaiian monk seals (monachus schauinslandi).	a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (gnrh) agonist, d-trp6-lhrh, was evaluated for its effectiveness in reducing circulating testosterone concentrations in wild hawaiian monk seals (monachus schauinslandi). twenty-eight adult male seals were randomly divided into three groups: 10 were captured and treated with 7.5 mg of the gnrh agonist, 9 were captured but did not receive the agonist, and 9 were captured near the end of the study to serve as handling controls. blood samples were taken from all 28 ...	1998	9784300
nutrient, fatty acid, amino acid and mineral analysis of natural prey of the hawaiian monk seal, monachus schauinslandi.	proximate nutrients, gross energy content, mineral, amino acid and fatty acid composition were determined for teleost, cephalopod and crustacean prey of the hawaiian monk seal. crude protein was highest in the octopus, octopus cyanea (80.0%), crude fat was highest in the muraenid teleost, gymnothorax eurostus (14.1%), whereas crude ash was highest in the lobster, panulirus marginatus (11.6%). gross energies ranged from 4.0 +/- 0.01 kcal g-1 in the labrid teleost bodianus bilulunatus to 6.0 +/- 0 ...	1999	10425733
corrigendum to "nutrient, fatty acid, amino acid and mineral analysis of natural prey of the hawaiian monk seal, monachus schauinslandi".		2000	10794970
establishment, cryopreservation, and growth of 11 cell lines prepared from a juvenile hawaiian monk seal, monachus schauinslandi.	eleven cell lines were prepared from skin, snout, liver, kidney, lung, heart, brain, spleen, thyroid, urinary bladder, and periorbital soft tissue of a juvenile hawaiian monk seal (monachus schauinslandi). the cell grew at 37 degrees c in rpmi 1640 medium supplemented with 20% fetal bovine serum. these cell lines have been subcultured 11-27 times since their initiation in may 1997. growth of the monk seal cells was serum-dependent and plating efficiencies ranged from 4-24%. these monk seal cells ...	2000	11264961
derelict fishing gear in the northwestern hawaiian islands: diving surveys and debris removal in 1999 confirm threat to coral reef ecosystems.	marine debris threatens northwestern hawaiian islands' (nwhi) coral reef ecosystems. debris, a contaminant, entangles and kills endangered hawaiian monk seals (monachus schauinslandi), coral, and other wildlife. we describe a novel multi-agency effort using divers to systematically survey and remove derelict fishing gear from two nwhi in 1999. 14 t of derelict fishing gear were removed and debris distribution, density, type and fouling level documented at lisianski island and pearl and hermes at ...	2001	11827117
a pre- and post-marpol annex v summary of hawaiian monk seal entanglements and marine debris accumulation in the northwestern hawaiian islands, 1982-1998.	entanglements of hawaiian monk seals, monachus schauinslandi, were documented in the northwestern hawaiian islands (nwhi) from 1982 to 1998, and debris which presented a threat of entanglement was inventoried and removed from 1987 to 1996. a total of 173 entanglements was documented. the number of entanglements did not change after implementation of marpol annex v in 1989. pups and juvenile seals were more likely to become entangled than older seals, and became entangled primarily in nets, where ...	2001	11488238
marine debris accumulation in the nearshore marine habitat of the endangered hawaiian monk seal, monachus schauinslandi 1999-2001.	large amounts of marine debris are present in shallow reefs adjacent to beach haulouts of the critically endangered hawaiian monk seal, monachus schauinslandi. these areas serve as seal pup nurseries, and injury and death caused by entanglement in marine debris are undermining population recovery efforts. we investigated the extent of this threat by measuring the accumulation of potentially entangling derelict fishing gear in nursery zones, 1999-2001. plots of reef 1.0-1.3 km2 at three northwest ...	2003	14607537
hepatitis associated with a sarcocystis canis-like protozoan in a hawaiian monk seal (monachus schauinslandi).	a hawaiian monk seal (monachus schauinslandi) died in captivity at the national marine fisheries service, kewalo basin facility in honolulu, hawaii. the animal was icteric, and the liver was friable. microscopic lesions were detected in the colon and liver. colonic lesions included multifocal, necrohemorrhagic colitis associated with gram-negative bacilli. the liver lesions included random hepatic necrosis and cholestasis. asexual stages of a sarcocystis canis-like apicomplexan were detected in ...	2003	14740925
viral susceptibility of newly established cell lines from the hawaiian monk seal monachus schauinslandi.	ten of 11 cell lines, recently established from the snout (ms-sn), periorbital soft tissue (ms-ey), liver (ms-lv), kidney (ms-kd), lung (ms-lg), spleen (ms-sp), heart (ms-ht), thyroid (ms-ty), brain (ms-br) and urinary bladder (ms-ub) of a juvenile hawaiian monk seal monachus schauinslandi, were evaluated in vitro for their susceptibility to 5 mammalian viruses: herpes simplex virus type 1 (hsv-1), vesicular stomatitis virus (vsv), reovirus type 3 (reo-3), poliovirus type 1 (polio-1) and vaccini ...	2003	14960030
organochlorines in the free-ranging hawaiian monk seal (monachus schauinslandi) from french frigate shoals, north pacific ocean.	the hawaiian monk seal (monachus schauinslandi) is an endangered species found only in the hawaiian island chain. the largest subpopulation, at french frigate shoals, has been in decline since 1989. in order to assess organochlorine (oc) levels in the hawaiian monk seals, whole blood and blubber samples were collected in 1999 from 46 free-ranging hawaiian monk seals at french frigate shoals, and were analyzed for eight dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs) as well as six other pcb congene ...	2004	15081740
a comparison of four serologic assays in screening for brucella exposure in hawaiian monk seals.	a survey for brucella spp. antibodies was undertaken on 164 serum samples from 144 hawaiian monk seals (monachus schauinslandi) from the northwestern hawaiian islands collected between 1995 and 2002. the buffered antigen plate agglutination test (bpat), the indirect enzyme immunoassay (i-elisa), the competitive enzyme immunoassay (c-elisa), and the fluorescence polarization assay (fpa) were compared with regard to their ability in detecting antibodies to brucella spp. in the serum samples. overa ...	2005	15827218
toxoplasmosis in a hawaiian monk seal (monachus schauinslandi).	toxoplasma gondii infection in marine mammals is intriguing and indicative of contamination of the ocean environment with oocysts. t. gondii was identified in a hawaiian monk seal (monachus schauinslandi) that had visceral and cerebral lesions. tachyzoites were found in the lymph nodes, spleen, diaphragm, heart, adrenal glands, and brain. a few tissue cysts were found in sections of the cerebrum. the diagnosis was confirmed serologically, by immunohistochemical staining with t. gondii-specific p ...	2005	16108571
paucity of class i mhc gene heterogeneity between individuals in the endangered hawaiian monk seal population.	the hawaiian monk seal population has experienced precipitous declines in the last 50 years. in this study, we provide evidence that individuals from remaining endangered population exhibit alarming uniformity in class i major histocompatibility (mhc) genes. the peripheral blood leukocyte-derived mrna of six captive animals rescued from a stranding incident on the french frigate shoals in the hawaiian archipelago was used to characterize genes in the monk seal class i mhc gene family, from which ...	2006	16528500
infectious disease monitoring of the endangered hawaiian monk seal.	as part of conservation efforts between 1997 and 2001, more than 25% (332 animals) of the endangered hawaiian monk seal (monachus schauinslandi) population was sampled in the northwestern hawaiian islands. serum samples were tested for antibodies to viruses, bacteria, and parasites known to cause morbidity and mortality in other marine mammal species. antibodies were found to phocine herpesvirus-1 by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, but seropositive results were not confirmed by virus ...	2007	17495307
temporal and spatial variation in age-specific survival rates of a long-lived mammal, the hawaiian monk seal.	estimates of variability in pinniped survival rates are generally based on observations at single sites, so it is not certain whether observed rates represent the whole population. here, we provide a comprehensive analysis of spatio-temporal variation in age-specific survival rates for endangered hawaiian monk seals (monachus schauinslandi) based on capture-recapture analyses of more than 85% of the pups weaned in this population over the last two decades. uniquely, these data have been collecte ...	2007	17164205
organochlorine contaminants in endangered hawaiian monk seals from four subpopulations in the northwestern hawaiian islands.	we analyzed blubber and blood samples for organochlorines (ocs) from 158 hawaiian monk seals (monachus schauinslandi) at four of their six primary breeding colonies in the northwestern hawaiian islands. levels of ocs in blubber were lower in adult females compared to juveniles or adult males, evidently owing to the transfer of these lipophilic compounds to pups by pregnant and lactating females. concentrations of sigmapcbs and p,p'-dde in blubber generally increased with age until seals were sex ...	2008	18031765
genetic variability in guadalupe fur seals.	the guadalupe fur seal (arctocephalus townsendi) population underwent one or two severe bottlenecks due to commercial sealing in the late 19th century. since then the protected population has been growing steadily around their only rookery, isla de guadalupe, mexico. we probed both nuclear and mitochondrial genomes using multilocus nuclear dna profiling and mitochondrial dna sequencing to estimate the level of genetic variability of the present population. unlike other pinniped populations that ...	2008	9703686
extremely low genetic diversity in the endangered hawaiian monk seal (monachus schauinslandi).	hunted to near extinction in the late 19th century, the endangered and endemic hawaiian monk seal (monachus schauinslandi) exhibits low variation at all molecular markers tested to date. here we confirm extreme paucity of genetic diversity, finding polymorphisms at only 8 of 154 microsatellite loci tested (143 novel species-specific loci, 10 loci from antarctic seals, and 1 previously characterized locus). this screening revealed unprecedentedly low levels of allelic diversity and heterozygosity ...	2009	18815116
development, validation, and utilization of a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of antibodies against brucella species in marine mammals.	a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (celisa) was developed by using a whole-cell antigen from a marine brucella sp. isolated from a harbor seal (phoca vitulina). the assay was designed to screen sera from multiple marine mammal species for the presence of antibodies against marine-origin brucella. based on comparisons with culture-confirmed cases, specificity and sensitivity for cetacean samples tested were 73% and 100%, respectively. for pinniped samples, specificity and sensitivity ...	2010	21088168
range-wide genetic connectivity of the hawaiian monk seal and implications for translocation.	the hawaiian monk seal (monachus schauinslandi) is one of the most critically endangered marine mammals. less than 1200 individuals remain, and the species is declining at a rate of approximately 4% per year as a result of juvenile starvation, shark predation, and entanglement in marine debris. some of these problems may be alleviated by translocation; however, if island breeding aggregates are effectively isolated subpopulations, moving individuals may disrupt local adaptations. in these circum ...	2010	21166713
ddt in endangered galapagos sea lions (zalophus wollebaeki).	we characterize for the first time the presence of ddt and its metabolites in tropical galapagos sea lions (zalophus wolleabeki). ?ddt concentrations in galapagos sea lion pups sampled in 2005 and 2008 ranged from 16 to 3070 µg/kg lipid. concentrations of ?ddt in pups in 2008 averaged 525 µg/kg lipid and were 1.9 times higher than that (281 µg/kg lipid) detected in pups in 2005. these concentrations are lower than those reported in many pinnipeds elsewhere, comparable to those in hawaiian monk s ...	2011	21353257
identification of ciguatoxins in hawaiian monk seals monachus schauinslandi from the northwestern and main hawaiian islands.	ciguatoxins are potent algal neurotoxins that concentrate in fish preyed upon by the critically endangered hawaiian monk seal (monachus schauinslandi). the only report for hawaiian monk seal exposure to ciguatoxins occurred during a 1978 mortality event when two seal liver extracts tested positive by mouse bioassay. ciguatoxins were thus proposed as a potential threat to the hawaiian monk seal population. to reinvestigate monk seal exposure to ciguatoxins we utilized more selective detection met ...	2011	21591690
valuing improvements to threatened and endangered marine species: an application of stated preference choice experiments.	non-market valuation research has produced value estimates for over forty threatened and endangered (t&e) species, including mammals, fish, birds, and crustaceans. increasingly, stated preference choice experiments (spce) are utilized for valuation, as the format offers flexibility for policy analysis and may reduce certain types of response biases relative to the more traditional contingent valuation method. additionally, spce formats can allow respondents to make trade-offs among multiple spec ...	2011	21392881
the shark assemblage at french frigate shoals atoll, hawai'i: species composition, abundance and habitat use.	empirical data on the abundance and habitat preferences of coral reef top predators are needed to evaluate their ecological impacts and guide management decisions. we used longline surveys to quantify the shark assemblage at french frigate shoals (ffs) atoll from may to august 2009. fishing effort consisted of 189 longline sets totaling 6,862 hook hours of soak time. a total of 221 sharks from 7 species were captured, among which galapagos (carcharhinus galapagensis, 36.2%), gray reef (carcharhi ...	2011	21347321
persistent organic pollutants in the endangered hawaiian monk seal (monachus schauinslandi) from the main hawaiian islands.	little is known about levels or effects of persistent organic pollutants (pops) in hawaiian monk seals (hms) from the main hawaiian islands (mhi) subpopulation. this study examined concentrations of a large suite of pops in blubber and serum of juvenile and adult hms from the mhi. adult females have the lowest blubber levels of most pops, whereas adult males have highest levels. pops in serum were significantly different in adult males compared with adult females for chlordanes and summed dichlo ...	2012	22884537
public willingness to pay for recovering and downlisting threatened and endangered marine species.	nonmarket valuation research has produced economic value estimates for a variety of threatened, endangered, and rare species around the world. although over 40 value estimates exist, it is often difficult to compare values from different studies due to variations in study design, implementation, and modeling specifications. we conducted a stated-preference choice experiment to estimate the value of recovering or downlisting 8 threatened and endangered marine species in the united states: loggerh ...	2012	22827248
biogeography and taxonomy of extinct and endangered monk seals illuminated by ancient dna and skull morphology.	extinctions and declines of large marine vertebrates have major ecological impacts and are of critical concern in marine environments. the caribbean monk seal, monachus tropicalis, last definitively reported in 1952, was one of the few marine mammal species to become extinct in historical times. despite its importance for understanding the evolutionary biogeography of southern phocids, the relationships of m. tropicalis to the two living species of critically endangered monk seals have not been ...	2014	24899841
validation and application of noninvasive glucocorticoid and thyroid hormone measures in free-ranging hawaiian monk seals.	we validate fecal glucocorticoid (gc) and thyroid (t3) hormone metabolite measures in the critically endangered hawaiian monk seal for the first time, and examine variation in the concentrations of these hormones in individuals across the species' range. we test hypotheses that monk seals from declining subpopulations have relatively high gcs and low t3 on average suggesting impacts of food limitation, and that this hormone pattern is more apparent in immature animals compared to adults, as food ...	2014	24239792
phocine distemper virus: current knowledge and future directions.	phocine distemper virus (pdv) was first recognized in 1988 following a massive epidemic in harbor and grey seals in north-western europe. since then, the epidemiology of infection in north atlantic and arctic pinnipeds has been investigated. in the western north atlantic endemic infection in harp and grey seals predates the european epidemic, with relatively small, localized mortality events occurring primarily in harbor seals. by contrast, pdv seems not to have become established in european ha ...	2014	25533658
coinfection of california sea lion adenovirus 1 and a novel polyomavirus in a hawaiian monk seal (neomonachus schauinslandi).	the hawaiian monk seal (neomonachus schauinslandi) is an endangered species. here, we present a clinical case of a 26-yr-old male hawaiian monk seal (hms) kept in an aquarium with a history of intermittent anorexia and evidence of renal disease. histologic examination revealed eosinophilic intranuclear inclusions in the liver. conventional nested pcr protocols were used to test for viruses, and it tested positive for adenovirus and polyomavirus, and negative for herpesvirus. the adenovirus parti ...	2016	27468013
herpesviruses including novel gammaherpesviruses are widespread among phocid seal species in canada.	little is known about herpesviruses in canadian pinnipeds. we measured prevalence of antibodies to herpesviruses in the sera from canadian phocid seals by an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. wild harbor seals (phoca vitulina) and captive harbor seals were positive for antibodies to phocid herpesvirus 1 (phohv-1) at prevalences of 91% and 100%, respectively. sera from wild hooded seals (cystophora cristata), harp seals (pagophilus groenlandica), and grey seals (halichoerus grypus) were ...	2016	26555112
protozoal-related mortalities in endangered hawaiian monk seals neomonachus schauinslandi.	protozoal infections have been widely documented in marine mammals and may cause morbidity and mortality at levels that result in population level effects. the presence and potential impact on the recovery of endangered hawaiian monk seals neomonachus schauinslandi by protozoal pathogens was first identified in the carcass of a stranded adult male with disseminated toxoplasmosis and a captive monk seal with hepatitis. we report 7 additional cases and 2 suspect cases of protozoal-related mortalit ...	2016	27667806
estimating contact rates of hawaiian monk seals (neomonachus schauinslandi) using social network analysis.	understanding disease transmission dynamics, which are in part mediated by rates and patterns of social contact, is fundamental to predicting the likelihood, rate of spread, impacts, and mitigation of disease outbreaks in wildlife populations. contact rates, which are important parameters required for epidemiologic models, are difficult to estimate. the endangered hawaiian monk seal (neomonachus schauinslandi) may be particularly vulnerable to morbillivirus outbreaks, due to its low abundance, l ...	2016	27195686
seals and sea lions are what they eat, plus what? determination of trophic discrimination factors for seven pinniped species.	mixing models are a common method for quantifying the contribution of prey sources to the diet of an individual using stable isotope analysis; however, these models rely upon a known trophic discrimination factor (hereafter, tdf) that results from fractionation between prey and animal tissues. quantifying tdfs in captive animals is ideal, because diet is controlled and the proportional contributions and isotopic values of all prey items are known.	2016	27060839
modeling a morbillivirus outbreak in hawaiian monk seals to aid in the design of mitigation programs.	we developed a stochastic susceptible-exposed-infectious-removed (seir) model to simulate a range of plausible morbillivirus outbreak scenarios in a randomly mixing population of 170 endangered hawaiian monk seals (neomonachus schauinslandi). we then modeled realistic vaccination and quarantine measures to determine the potential efficacy of such mitigation efforts. morbillivirus outbreaks represent substantial risk to monk seals-91% of simulated baseline outbreaks grew (r0>1), and in one-third ...	2017	28463627
integrating multiple technologies to understand the foraging behaviour of hawaiian monk seals.	the objective of this research was to investigate and describe the foraging behaviour of monk seals in the main hawaiian islands. specifically, our goal was to identify a metric to classify foraging behaviour from telemetry instruments. we deployed accelerometers, seal-mounted cameras and gps tags on six monk seals during 2012-2014 on the islands of molokai, kauai and oahu. we used pitch, calculated from the accelerometer, to identify search events and thus classify foraging dives. a search even ...	2017	28405358
establishing hematology and serum chemistry reference intervals for wild hawaiian monk seals ( neomonachus schauinslandi).	hematology and serum chemistry reference intervals have been previously established for the endangered hawaiian monk seal ( neomonachus schauinslandi) as an imperative measure for health assessments. monitoring the health of the wild population depends upon reference intervals that are context specific; hence we developed reference intervals from fresh samples, as opposed to frozen, from wild monk seals. this study builds on the number of parameters from previous efforts by using samples collect ...	2018	30592935
survey for placental disease and reproductive pathogens in the endangered hawaiian monk seal ( neomonachus schauinslandi).	there is considerable temporal and spatial variability in the reproductive rates of hawaiian monk seals (hms; neomonachus schauinslandi). poor reproductive performance limits the recovery of this endangered species; however, causal factors are not fully understood. there is serologic evidence that hms are exposed to pathogens that can impact reproductive success, but the prevalence of placental infections in hms has not been evaluated. placental tissues ( n=50), including tissues from 25% of kno ...	2018	29561711
model recommendations meet management reality: implementation and evaluation of a network-informed vaccination effort for endangered hawaiian monk seals.	where disease threatens endangered wildlife populations, substantial resources are required for management actions such as vaccination. while network models provide a promising tool for identifying key spreaders and prioritizing efforts to maximize efficiency, population-scale vaccination remains rare, providing few opportunities to evaluate performance of model-informed strategies under realistic scenarios. because the endangered hawaiian monk seal could be heavily impacted by disease threats s ...	2018	29321294
social media as a data resource for #monkseal conservation.	the prevalence of social media platforms that share photos and videos could prove useful for wildlife research and conservation programs. when social media users post pictures and videos of animals, near real-time data like individual identification, sex, location, or other information are made accessible to scientists. these data can help inform researchers about animal occurrence, behavior, or threats to survival. the endangered hawaiian monk seal (neomonachus schauinslandi) population has onl ...	2019	31644529
oldest record of monk seals from the north pacific and biogeographic implications.	true seals (crown phocidae) originated during the late oligocene-early miocene (approx. 27-20 ma) in the north atlantic/mediterranean region, with later (middle miocene, approx. 16-11 ma) dispersal events to the south atlantic and south pacific. contrasting with other pinnipeds, the fossil record of phocids from the north pacific region is scarce and restricted to the pleistocene. here we present the oldest fossil record of crown phocids, monachines (monk seals), from the north pacific region. t ...	2019	31064312
hawaiian monk seals exhibit behavioral flexibility when targeting prey of different size and shape.	animals use diverse feeding strategies to capture and consume prey, with many species switching between strategies to accommodate different prey. many marine animals exhibit behavioral flexibility when feeding to deal with spatial and temporal heterogeneity in prey resources. however, little is known about flexibility in the feeding behavior of many large marine predators. here, we documented the feeding behavior and kinematics of the endangered hawaiian monk seal (neomonachus schauinslandi, n=7 ...	2019	30679244
sample preparation and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the analysis of selected pacific ciguatoxins in blood samples.	consumption of ciguatoxin-contaminated seafood can lead to ciguatera poisoning (cp). the diagnosis of cp in humans is based on the clinical symptoms after eating the fish from tropical or subtropical areas because no confirmatory clinical tests are available. one of the challenges for ciguatoxin analysis is their extremely low but toxicologically relevant concentration in biological samples. we previously reported a method using acetonitrile to precipitate proteins and extract the ciguatoxins si ...	2020	32265050
context matters: hawaiian monk seals switch between feeding strategies depending on ecological context.	the ability to expand the behavioral repertoire past seemingly rigid morphological features enables animals to succeed in a variety of ecological contexts. the integration of morphology, performance, and behavior produces diverse animal feeding strategies. these different strategies reflect trade-offs between specialization, prey choice, and energetic expenditure, which have important consequences for understanding individual and population-level flexibility in response to environmental change. ...	2020	32726403