monk seal

American  

noun

1. a small, dark brown, subtropical seal of the genus Monachus: the three species, M. tropicalis of the Caribbean, M. schauinslandi of Hawaiian island regions, and M. monachus of the Mediterranean, are endangered.

---

Etymology

Origin of monk seal

1835–45; apparently translation of the NL genus name Monachus ( monk ), originally a specific name ( Phoca monacha ), probably in allusion to the animal's gray coloration and isolated breeding sites; compare French moine, Italian monaco the monk seal, literally, monk

Example Sentences

The Hawaiian monk seal is the only marine mammal found exclusively in Hawaiʻi and holds significant cultural value.

From Science Daily

These results support the future use of passive acoustic monitoring to track monk seal populations across their broad habitat range and protect the sound environments they rely on.

From Science Daily

"This research would also not have been possible without the support of the Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program, who deployed and retrieved the acoustic recorders in the Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Sanctuary."

From Science Daily

The research team used passive acoustic recorders placed at five important monk seal habitats, spanning sites from Molokaʻi to the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

From Science Daily

"We were surprised by the sheer diversity and complexity of monk seal vocalizations," notes Parnell.

From Science Daily