Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), Hawaiian monk seals are listed as endangered, which means they in danger of extinction within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of their range.
The Hawaiian monk seal is listed as critically endangered, meaning it is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild: the calculated probability of extinction during the next 10 years is greater than 50%.
The Hawiian monk seal is listed under CITES Appendix I, which prohibits all commercial trade.