Entanglements of Hawaiian monk seals fall after marine debris clean-ups

Field biologists working in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands have been helping seals that become tangled in marine debris. After teams began removing debris within Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, entanglements fell by as much as 70 per cent on some islands. The figure is an upper bound for certain islands rather than an average across the whole range, so it should be read with that in mind. The clean-up is one of several efforts described in a NOAA Fisheries roundup for Endangered Species Day 2026. Hawaiian monk seals are endangered, and each animal that is freed from debris adds to a small population. The story is a reminder that removing what harms wildlife can work quickly where it is done properly.