A single species, Monachus tropicalis, the Caribbean Monk Seal, was originally widespread through the Caribbean Sea. The species was heavily hunted in the 18th century and was rare by 1850. The last sightings of the species were reported from the Bahamas in the 1960's, and from the Serranilla Bank in 1973. Reports from Haiti in 1985 are unconfirmed. nevertheles, a carefully designed survey of 93 fisherman in 1997 generated statistically significant circumstantial evidence for the peristence of the species along the coasrt of northern Haiti. The Caribbean monk seal is a distinctive species, with a creamy-white belly.

    Two related species, the Mediterranean Monk Seal (M. monachus) and the hawaiian Monk Seal (M. schuinslandi) survive to the present day.

Boyd I. L. and M. P. Stanfield. (1998) Circumstantial evidence for the presence of Monk Seals in the West Indies. Oryx 32:310-316.