Celebrate Endangered Species Day by spending a few hours looking for the endangered Hawaiian monk seal and maybe even cleaning up the seals’ shoreline habitat. In honor of Endangered Species Day*, NOAA Fisheries is hosting the 14th Semi-annual Main Hawaiian Islands Monk Seal Count on Saturday, May 17th, 2014, 9AM – 12PM. There will be a Pre-Count Meeting, so please plan to attend ONE of these meetings either in Kihei:1. Date: Thursday, May 8, 2014 Time: 6 – 7 pm  Location: Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, Kihei, Maui  or Wednesday, May 14, 2014  Time: 6 – 7 pm

The Seal Count is open to everyone – no experience needed! Just come to any ONE of the pre-count meetings and you’ll learn everything you need to know in about an hour. Please RSVP to nicole.davis@noaa.gov if you would like to participate in the count and which meeting you are planning to attend.  If you have participated in any of the previous monk seal counts, MAHALO! If you would like to cover your same zone on Maui again for the upcoming count, please let me know. Feel free to help spread the word and invite others to the pre-count meeting.

*Endangered Species Day is held the 3rd Friday in May of every year, and is an opportunity for people of all ages to learn about the importance of protecting endangered species and everyday actions they can take to help protect them. Started in 2006 by the United States Congress, Endangered Species Day is a celebration of the nation’s wildlife and wild places.