This data set contains focal animal observations and other behavioral data recorded during special studies conducted by PSD personnel and cooperating scientists as part of the ongoing monk seal population assessment and survival enhancement efforts. These include Effects of Tagging and Association Patterns studies conducted at Lisianski Island in 1982, Pair Watches recorded as part of a behavioral study at Laysan Island in 1985, behavior data collected at Sea Life Park, and mother-pup observations collected at Trig Island in 2009 (roughly replicating Boness' earlier FFS mother-pup study). Most data have been entered, however some data are housed at PIFSC in paper form.

This data set contains records for all handling and measurement of Hawaiian monk seals since 1981. Live seals are handled and measured during a variety of events including tagging, instrumenting, disentangling, translocation, and health screening by PSD personnel and cooperating scientists as part of the ongoing monk seal population assessment and recovery efforts. In addition, this data set contains measurements of dead seals collected during necropsy and handlings for all seals that were tagged by USFWS in earlier years, and still present in the population when the current research effort began. These handling records extend as far back as 1967. The remainder of the USFWS handling data (data for seals that disappeared prior to the inception of the PSD research program) are housed at PIFSC in paper form.

Island elevation data use in publication by Baker JD, Littnan CL, Johnston DW. "2006. Potential effects of sea level rise on the terrestrial habitats of endangered and endemic megafauna in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Endangered Species Research 4(1): 1-10."

The data set contains records of all documented hookings and/or entanglements of Hawaiian monk seals with actively fished gear, both commercial and recreational. The data do NOT include fishery interactions in which seals take the bait or the catch without becoming hooked or entangled. Data include 1) reports from the public or field biologists of seals sighted with embedded hooks; 2) reports from the public or field biologists of seals entangled in nearshore gillnets within the Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI); 3) NMFS observer reports, and 4) fishery logbooks. Reports from the public are followed up by field biologists to verify the incident. Seals observed entangled in nearshore gillnets in the MHI are generally considered to have become entangled while the gear was being actively fished, rather than when the gear may have been derelict.

The data set contains records of all entanglements of Hawaiian monk seals in marine debris. The data set comprises records of seals entangled by derelict fishing gear, plastic items such as rings or packing bands, or other items of human provenance. Records are also included of seals which have girdling scars characteristic of having been entangled, even if no direct entanglement was observed. The data include number of incidents, not number of individual seals (since some animals have been entangled multiple times). The data do NOT include incidents in which seals become entangled in fishing gear while it is being actively fished. Data include primarily reports from field biologists in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Data set is now complete. Ongoing data on entanglements are recorded in the Hawaiian monk seal Survival Factor dataset.

This data set contains information on Hawaiian monk seal gross necropsy (in some cases only field notes or minimal information) and histopathology results beginning in 1964. Data includes information on all recovered Hawaiian monk seal carcasses that were necropsied. Information derived from pathology reports is included when tissues were reviewed by pathologists. Necropsy tissues are collected by Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program (HMSRP) personnel and cooperating scientists as part of the ongoing health and disease assessment. The tissues are reviewed by collaborating pathologists. All original paper reports are housed at the NOAA Inouye Regional Center (IRC) and most are available electronically. Data are available in an excel spreadsheet.

This data set includes physical specimens, paper logs and Freezerworks database of all logged information on specimens collected from Hawaiian monk seals since 1975. Information collected on specimens include animal ID's, dates, preservation methods, storage locations, where specimens were analyzed, and results of analyses. Specimens collected are either Non-invasive specimens collected either from dead animals (e.g., tissues, skeletal samples, body fluids, etc.) or samples are collected from live animals by collecting scats, molts, spews, etc. that are found on the beach near live animals. Invasive specimen collection includes tissue plugs collected when animals are tagged, or health screening/survey samples that are collected during animal restraint. Samples are collected by PSD personnel and cooperating scientists as part of the ongoing health and disease, population genetics, and foraging ecology assessment. Specimens are housed at PIFSC Dole Street office, Kewalo Research Facility, and Ford Island.

This data set documents locations and location codes used in monk seal data collection as part of the ongoing monk seal population assessment efforts. Information includes atolls, islets within each atoll, sectors valid for each islet, and GPS coordinates. Sectors for the six main breeding locations in the NWHI were established in 1982 at the beginning of concerted data collection by this project, and have remained fairly constant with the exception of boundary changes at Lisianski and Midway in 1992, and islet coding changes at Kure in 1994. In recent years sectors have also been established for the main Hawaiian islands.

This data set contains records of survival factors recorded by PSD personnel and cooperating scientists as part of the ongoing monk seal population assessment efforts, and some miscellaneous earlier records extending back as far as 1977. Survival factors are defined as any unique event, or series of events that may affect the survival of an individual seals. Data are recorded for all deaths, probable deaths, suspicious disappearances, and moderate to severe injuries. Other recorded events include entanglement, observed male aggression, emaciation, ill or abnormal condition, oiling, or a seal out of habitat. Most data (since 1996) have been entered, however much of the older data are housed at PIFSC in paper form.

This data set contains information on persistent organic pollutant analysis of Hawaiian monk seal whole blood and blubber samples from the northwestern Hawaiian islands (samples collected 1998-2001) and serum and blubber samples from the main Hawaiian islands (samples collected 2000-2010). Samples were collected from both live animals during handling for other purposes (health assessment or telemetry device application) and dead animals through necropsy. Data is available in excel spreadsheets.