5 Animals That Live In Hawaii
In the middle of the Pacific Ocean, this archipelago that belongs to the United States is related to surfing, the beach and volcanoes, as well as Hula Hula and flowers. But of course, a region so far from the continents is home to impressive biodiversity. In the next article we will tell you about the animals that live in Hawaii.
What are the animals that live in Hawaii?
With several areas set aside and turned into national parks, they are doing their best to prevent more species from becoming extinct, as happened in the past after the arrival of the white man. Among the animals that live in Hawaii we can highlight:
1. Hawaiian monk seal
Also called the Hawaiian Friar Seal –the photo that opens this article– it is an endemic to this archipelago, which is in danger of extinction due to the chemical waste caused by fishing in the Pacific. The diet of this mammal is composed of crustaceans, fish and cephalopods, which are contaminated or in little quantity.
The Hawaiian monk seal can weigh about 200 kilos and the females are larger than the males ; their tails can measure up to two meters and the body is gray on the back and light on the belly.
2. Short-tailed albatross
It is one of the typical medium-sized birds of the North Pacific, which has arrived in Hawaii during its migration flights. One of its main characteristics is that it has nasal passages attached to the upper beak, which allows it to excrete the salt from the water it drinks (from the sea).
The short-tailed albatross has a wingspan of 220 centimeters, weighs around eight kilos and its plumage is black and white, with a different color neck and head, black legs and an elongated pink beak that helps it get crustaceans, its only food. .
3. Fire Shard Fish
It is a really striking fish due to its colors, but also because they move in schools at high speeds. The fire shard is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands and can grow up to 17 centimeters.
Its name is due to the reddish coloration with horizontal white stripes that run along its entire body. Its gill spines and rough scales make it easy prey for nets. It is a rather nocturnal species that hides and feeds – crustaceans, worms and starfish are part of its diet – among coral reefs or inside underwater caves.
4. Albatros Laysan
It is another of the seabirds that are part of the local fauna, similar to a seagull and with a stable population of more than two million individuals. It measures about 80 centimeters and, when it opens its wings, it reaches two meters of wingspan. Males are larger and heavier than females.
Regarding its physical characteristics, we can indicate that its body is white and both its wings and tail are dark with light spots. The beak is long and pink, and its eyes are dark. When they are born they are completely gray. It feeds on cephalopods, crustaceans, fish, and other invertebrates.
5. Dolphin acrobat
To finish with this list of animals that live in Hawaii, the beautiful spinner or acrobat dolphin with a long snout could not be missing. Although it lives in all the tropical seas of the world, the truth is that it is a regular visitor to the archipelago and can be seen doing pirouettes near the coasts.
It can reach 230 centimeters in length and 80 kilos in weight in adulthood, and its body can be of three colors: dark gray, light gray and white. Its snout is elongated and with it it can catch fish after following them in circles for perhaps a few minutes.
