Hawaiian monk seal dies at Big Isle rescue facility

Nov. 23—A sick Hawaiian monk seal that has died at The Marine Mammal Center's hospital in Kailua-Kona after a five-week battle against a parasitic disease and other ailments.

The center announced today that the monk seal RW22, nicknamed Kolohe, died at its hospital, Ke Kai Ola, last Wednesday.

Kolohe, age 13, suffered not only from—a disease caused by infection with Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite spread into the environment through cat feces—but had ingested several fish hooks.

"Toxoplasmosis is a complex and deadly disease that requires intensive daily treatment and management for an affected Hawaiian monk seal like RW22, " says Dr. Sophie Whoriskey, the center's monk seal conservation veterinarian in a news release. "All of us are deeply saddened about this unfortunate outcome but we find hope in knowing the valuable insights gained about how this deadly disease affects monk seals will have a positive impact on future patients."

Despite those treatments, the center said Kolohe continued to lose weight and did not have much of an appetitie.