THANK YOU to all the Girl Scouts who entered the drawing for the giant Hawaiian Monk Seal drawing as part of the 2022 Fall Product Program!
CONGRATULATIONS to Girl Scout Daisy, Esmeralda H.; she won the GIANT SEAL!
Girl Scouts of Colorado entered the names of all the qualifying Girl Scouts who completed the contest form into a random drawing to select the winner.
As part of the qualifications for the giant seal drawing, the GSCO Product Program team asked Girl Scouts who entered the drawing to do some online research and tell us something interesting that they found out about Hawaiian Monk Seals.
Here’s what some of the Girl Scouts who entered the drawing had to say:
They are one of two mammals native to Hawaii. The females are bigger than the males.
The Hawaiian name for the monk seal is Ilio-holo-i-ka-uaua, meaning dog running in the rough seas.
Hawaiian monk seals are very big and love to lounge around on the beach in Hawaii. Seals love to swim, like me! and they are SO CUTE! I love Hawaiian monk seals!
You should stay at least 150 feet away from the ones in Hawaii. Their population is slowly growing. They can dive over 900 feet when hunting for prey in the ocean.
They live a solitary lifestyle.
They live 25 to 30 years. A group of Hawaiian Monk Seals are called a rookery!
They can grow up to 7 feet long and weigh as much as 600 lbs. they also spend two-thirds of their time at sea.
They live in Hawaii and eat small shrimp and fish. When they are born and their mommies go to get food, the babies stay on the island alone. When their mommies come back, they make a sound and their mom hears it and knows it's their baby.
Female Hawaiian Monk Seals will nurse and care for another mother's pups.
They can hold their breath for 20 minutes.
They are mostly in the water but rest and give birth on rocky shores. They are excellent divers and swimmers. They are one of the only predators for garden eels.
Hawaiian Monk Seals shed their skins once per year. Their name comes from the way their skin folds which looks like a Monk's coat.
They can dive under water more than 1800 feet deep. They like to sleep on beaches for days at a time.
The Hawaiian Monk Seals are endangered and protected under the Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, and by the state of Hawaii. Population is about 1,570 seals. They shed their top layer of skin.
All of the Girl Scouts who completed an entry form did a great job sharing the information that they learned about the Hawaiian Monk seal and the people and organizations that are working to help the species!
Having the Hawaiian Monk seal as the 2022 Fall Product Program mascot helped to bring awareness to conservation efforts, and to inspire Girl Scouts to learn about their world and make a difference by helping animals, as scientists, explorers, and advocates.