1.   The monk seal lives in colonies off the coast of Morocco, Mauritania and the eastern Aegean.

2.   Five monk seals have been found dead.

3.   Among the species cited by the study are whales, manatees, sea cows, monk seals, crocodiles, swordfish, codfish, sharks and rays.

4.   The area is home to the endangered Hawaiian monk seal, the threatened green sea turtle and the endangered leatherback and hawksbill sea turtles.

5.   The Hawaiian monk seal, which is considered highly endangered, and the short-tailed albatross, known as the golden gooney, also inhabit the atoll.

6.   They encounter vast schools of squid, driving rainstorms, monk seals, green turtles, long-line fishermen and plastic net floats that look like little basketballs.

7.   But researchers who study Hawaiian monk seals say their loss would be a blow to a fragile ecosystem.

8.   Environmentalists say commercial fishing for lobsters has taken food from monk seals.

9.   For a public attracted to dynamic endangered species like dolphins, whales and sea otters, the monk seal is a hard sell.

10.   It is now home mostly to birds, sea turtles, Hawaiian monk seals and other wildlife.