Endangered Nursing Monk Seal Attacks Swimmer at Honolulu Beach

Storyful
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A woman was rescued after being attacked by a nursing monk seal at Kaimana Beach, Honolulu, on Sunday, July 24.

Marine preservation group Hawaii Marine Animal Response (HMAR) said in statement that the nursing monk seal and new born pup were being monitored and that there were several warnings about the nursing animal’s aggressive behaviour at the beach.

Hawaii News Now reported that the swimmer had been warned by officials prior to the incident and that a rope perimeter had been on the shoreline since the animal gave birth on July 9.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) list the Hawaiian monk seal as “one of the most endangered seal species in the world” with a population of less than 1,600.

Local media reported that the swimmer was “injured” and taken away by emergency services. Credit: Anonymous via Storyful

Video Transcript

- Yeah.

- Oh.

[INTERPOSING VOICES]

- I don't-- I don't--

- Oh-- Oh.

- Get out! Get out! Get out!

- Keep going!

- Get out! Get out!

[INTERPOSING VOICES]

- Get out! God.

- Come on.

- Keep walking!

- Get out!

[INTERPOSING VOICES]

- Oh, no, no, no.

- Oh--

[INTERPOSING VOICES]

- Yeah, good job.

[INTERPOSING VOICES]

[INAUDIBLE]

[INTERPOSING VOICES]

[WAVES SPLASHING]

- Well, she was stupid to begin with. She should have just--

- This is why you always want to get [INAUDIBLE].

- Get it out of the way! Get it out of the way!

- Somebody called the police, right?

- I called the ambulance--

[INAUDIBLE]

- Are you OK? Did you get bit?

- She got bit. You got a lot of germs definitely.

- Nothing broke the skin, right? Are you OK, sweetie?