(AP) — Officials say a male Hawaiian monk seal died at a Big Island marine mammal hospital after a five-week battle with a parasitic disease spread by cat feces. Toxoplasmosis is the biggest disease threat facing the Hawaiian monk seal, which is a critically endangered species numbering just 1,300 animals. The Marine Mammal Center says the seal that died last week was known as RW22. The center called on cat owners to keep their feline pets indoors and dispose of cat litter in the trash to protect Hawaiian monk seals. Feces from feral cats are also a concern.
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