Hawaii News Now: This Special Hospital Has Very Special Patients: Hawaii’s Endangered Monk Seals
- Species conservation
This Special Hospital Has Very Special Patients: Hawaii’s Endangered Monk Seals
Published by Hawaii News Now: September 29, 2021
On the west side of the Big Island, a special hospital operates with one main goal ― take care of an endangered species.
“We are the only hospital permitted in all of the main Hawaiian islands to be able to care for monk seals,” said Sophie Whoriskey, the hospital’s conservation veterinarian.
The facility is called Ke Kai Ola. In Hawaiian it means “the healing sea.”
The Marine Mammal Center in California opened it in 2014 to take care of severely malnourished and sick or injured Hawaiian monk seals.
Header image by Elena Graham © The Marine Mammal Center / NOAA permit #18786
Yes, I want to save a life!
You’ll be giving sick and injured animals the best possible care at the Center’s state-of-the-art hospital. With your gift today, you are giving a patient a second chance at life in the wild.
See Our Latest News
{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/Gray whale\/gray-whale-angle-by-josie-slaathaug-c-the-marine-mammal-center.jpg","alt":"A gray whale in San Francisco Bay","title":"The Wall Street Journal: Huge, Hungry Whales Are San Francisco\u2019s Latest Traffic Headache","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/wall-street-journal-huge-hungry-whales-are-san-franciscos-latest-traffic-headache","label":"In the News","date":"2026-05-19 15:32:00"}
The Wall Street Journal: Huge, Hungry Whales Are San Francisco’s Latest Traffic Headache
May 19, 2026
Read More{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/Other species\/cropped-images\/two-seals-playing-shutterstock-250-0-3211-2510-1602631793.jpg","alt":"two seals playing on a beach","title":"Meaningful Father\u2019s Day Gifts for Ocean Lovers","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/eco-friendly-fathers-day-gifts-that-give-back","label":"News Update","date":"2026-05-15 12:37:00"}
{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/Harbor seals\/2021\/cropped-images\/hs-meringue-photo-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center-2-117-0-1270-992-1744225251.jpg","alt":"Animal care volunteers gently position a feeding tube into a harbor seal pup\u2019s mouth.","title":"How Seal Milk and \u201cFish Smoothies\u201d Help Pups Grow Strong","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/how-seal-milk-and-fish-smoothies-help-pups-grow-strong","label":"Patient Update","date":"2026-04-29 09:41:00"}
{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/California sea lions\/2026\/csl-irving-pre-rescue-in-san-francisco-photo-by-katie-young-c-the-marine-mammal-center.jpg","alt":"A California sea lion pup is stranded on a sidewalk in front of a car.","title":"Sea Lion Irving Rescued on a San Francisco Street","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/sea-lion-irving-rescued-on-a-san-francisco-street","label":"Patient Update","date":"2026-04-17 14:50:00"}
