 |
|
|
|
 |
|
||
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||
Geographical distribution
The Mediterranean monk seal was first described by Aristotle in the third century B.C. Once aboundant in some areas of the Pacific, Caribbean, and Mediterranean seas, there are only a few remaining in the wild today. They live in a few places in the Mediterranean and Hawaii. Their world population is approximately 500 and in the Mediterranean they are less than 350. The monk seal is easly disturbed by humans, and most remaining Mediterranean monk seals come ashore only in small, hidden coastal caves and beaches.
Characteristics
Monk seal is pinniped, a term which means “fin foot”. It has been called a “living fossil”, because fossil records show it was hunting as long as 15 million years ago. The most tropical of seals, the monk seal is an unique seal who lives in hot seas. An adult has brown and yellow mixed colour and sometimes it has some point on its skin. . It reach about 6 feet in lenght and 400 pounds (182kg) in weight and is a very speedy swimmer.
Reproduction and behaviour
Monk seals feed at night mostly in shallow coastal waters and sleep on beaches during the heat of day, often digging down to lie in cooler sand. They eat spiny lobsters, eels, octupus, and some reef fishes.
Monk seals reproduce slowly, starting at age of four.
Adult females, larger than the males, come ashore to give birth to one pup, then
remain on the beach nursing and protecting the pup for 6 weeks. Living off stored
fat, the female does not leave the pup even to feed herself during this period.
The pup may stay with its mother for as long as three years after weaning.
Influence of man
The Mediterranean monk seal has been classified as endangered
since 1966. It has enjoyed the highest priority in most conservation strategies
and is currently
protected by all available national and international legal instruments.
Despite the early recognition, population number have continued to
decline. Mortality
is mostly associated with fishing. This easy to approach seal was slaughtered
in droves for food by early seafaring explorers and native peoples. It is
still sometimes killed by fishers who see it as competition for food
fish.
However, in many cases habitat destruction or alteration, development
of tourism, human population growth, boat traffic, overfishing of
the monk seal’s
prey and pollution (waste from factories, agricultural poisons) are further
threats.
Conservation actions
For protection of marine resources by restrictions on fishing and hunting has been signed an agreement by France, Italy and the Principality of Monaco for the creation of an international sanctuary for Mediterranean cetaceans in the sea close to these countries to protect cetaceans against direct catch and international disturbance.
|
||||||||||||||
