Abstract
Blood samples from four captive male Hawaiian monk seals were collected at intervals of one month for one year for testosterone assay. Plasma testosterone concentrations, measured by radioimmunoassay, revealed a clear seasonal pattern. The lowest mean testosterone concentration (0.09 +/- 0.04 ng ml-1) occurred in January, and the highest (1.78 +/- 0.40 ng ml-1) in June. The seasonal occurrence of births and of injuries related to mating in wild populations of Hawaiian monk seals showed a distinct association with the period of high testosterone. This study supports other data that indicate that the Hawaiian monk seal is a seasonal breeder and is reproductively active for longer than monachine seals that live in higher latitudes.
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