In Hawaii, a diver met a rare endangered monk seal underwater

In the viral video, Brittany Ziegler was diving off the west coast of Maui, Hawaii, filming tropical fish of all colors and sizes. Suddenly, a Hawaiian monk seal began swimming up to her.

The diver was livestreaming her dive in Hawaii when the extremely rare and endangered marine animal suddenly approached her.

Hawaiian monk seals are one of the rarest endangered species in the world, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Their population has been declining for over 60 years and is estimated to be around 1,600 individuals, with about 1,200 living in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, monk seals are heavily hunted around the world for their fur, blubber, and meat. Some species, such as Caribbean monk seals, have become completely extinct.