Federal officials suspect a beloved and critically endangered Hawaiian seal was murdered—and now they want the public’s help in hunting down the perpetrator. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported that federal wildlife officials are offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information on the killing of the Hawaiian monk seal named Malama. Malama, who had been rescued and rehabilitated, was found dead in March of suspected blunt force trauma on a beach on the island of Oahu. Volunteers monitoring her since her release said she appeared healthy and well shortly before her death. “Malama was a seal close to many of our hearts,” the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in a statement. “Malama’s death hits us and our community particularly hard — especially given all the support, care, and monitoring provided to her by our NOAA team, The Center, HMAR, U.S. Coast Guard, and members of the Oahu community.”
