U.S. #5713h
2022 60¢ National Marine Sanctuaries – Hawaiian Monk Seal
Value: 60¢ 1-Ounce First-class Rate (Forever)
Issue Date: August 5, 2022
First Day City: Santa Cruz, CA
Type of Stamp: Commemorative
Printed by: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd.
Printing Method: Offset
Format: Pane of 16
Self-Adhesive
Quantity Printed: 38,000,000
Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument is located near the Hawaiian Islands. It is the largest contiguous fully protected conservation area administered by the United States and one of the largest marine conservation areas in the world. It includes 582,578 square miles of the Pacific Ocean, of which a 1,350-mile stretch is made up of coral islands, seamounts, banks, and shoals. It is home to abundant marine life including coral, fish, birds, marine mammals, and more.
There are several threatened and endangered species that call Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument home. One of the most well-known is the endangered Hawaiian monk seal. This species is critically endangered and has a population of less than 1,100 remaining in the wild. They are threatened by lack of food, entanglement in marine debris, and breeding aggression due to small population numbers.
NOAA Fisheries has implemented a number of strategies to address threats faced by the species with a high success rate. One such program involves the rehabilitation of injured or malnourished animals found in the wild. An estimated 30 percent of the Hawaiian monk seal population is alive today because of such programs. We can only hope these efforts will continue to improve this species' chance at survival.