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44-418: The centrally situated main island La Galite is 5.4 km (3.4 mi) long east-west, and up to 2.9 km (1.8 mi) wide in the east. The area of the group is 9 square kilometres (3 sq mi), most of which La Galite accounts for. The main island has 200m high cliffs and is accessible only in the south on the bay Escueil de Pasque. A few fishing families live on the island. The highest peak at 391m

88-472: A racon , is moored to the western patch, and another buoy to the eastern patch. A two meters high concrete block stands on the western patch. 13 km (8 mi) to the north of the group is the submerged Banc des Mazzarilles, with depths between 21 and 49 meters. During World War II , La Galite hosted a small Italian naval base. Salvatore Todaro , an Italian war hero, died on La Galite on December 14, 1942. Tunisian independence leader Habib Bourguiba

132-496: A colony structure. In the summer of 1997, more than 200 animals or two-thirds of its seal population were wiped out within two months, compromising the species' viable population . While opinions on the precise causes of this epidemic remain divided between a morbillivirus or, more likely, a toxic algae bloom , the mass die-off emphasized the precarious status of a species already regarded as critically endangered throughout its range. Numbers in this all-important location started

176-552: A creek in Manavgat District in Turkey 's southern Antalya Province . According to the scientists involved in local projects to protect the animals, this was the first ever documented sighting of a monk seal swimming in a river. Possible reasons for the animal's appearance included better opportunities for hunting, as well as higher salinity levels due to lower water levels. On 26 April 2016, two monk seals were spotted at

220-571: A distance between 1 and 2 km (1 mi) northeast of the main island. This group consists of three rocks, which are, from north to south, Gallo, Pollastro and Gallina (meaning "rooster", "chicken" and "hen" in Italian). Gallo is the largest of the three and is 119 m high. About 25 km (16 mi) to the southwest are the Sorelle Rocks , or Écueil des Sorelles, which consist of two shallow rocky patches. A lighted buoy, fitted with

264-512: A few hours on the beach in Jaffa near Tel Aviv, Israel. Israel's Nature and Park Authority has been monitoring since then this seal dubbed "Yulia", estimated at twenty years of age, spotted by eastern Mediterranean researchers in recent years in Turkey and Lebanon, where she is known as "Tugra". International consultation assessed that she is in normal molt to shed her winter coat, mostly relaxing on

308-701: A monk seal was spotted and videotaped while seated on a sunlounger in Samos Island, Greece. On 24 July 2021, a previously rescued and rehabilitated monk seal nicknamed "Kostis" was found dead in the waters of the Cycladic islands. MOm, the Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal reported that the seal had been executed at close range with a spear gun. Additionally, MOm pledged

352-574: A seal colony on an island in the southwestern Aegean Sea. Soon after, it showed signs of weakness and it was taken to a rehabilitation centre to try to save it. The aim is to release it back into the wild as soon as it is strong enough. In April 2011, a monk seal was spotted near the Egyptian coast after long absence of the species from the nation. On 24 June 2011, the Blue World Institute of Croatia filmed an adult female underwater in

396-464: A slow-paced recovery ever since. A small but incipient (up to 20 animals by 2009) sub-population in the area had started using open beaches. In 2009, for the first time in centuries, a female delivered her pup on the beach (open beaches is the optimal habitat for the survival of pups, but had been abandoned due to human disturbance and persecution in past centuries). Only by 2016 the colony had recovered to its previous population (about 300 animals). This

440-522: A tourist harassing a seal. The whole event was filmed. Less than a month later on 25 August 2014 this female monk seal was found dead in the Mrtvi Puć bay near Šišan , Croatia . Experts said it was natural death caused by her old age. In 2012, a Mediterranean monk seal, was spotted in Gibraltar on the jetty of the private boat owners club at Coaling Island . In the week of 22–28 April 2013, what

484-791: A year. However, it is believed to be common among monk seals of the Cabo Blanco colony to have a gestation period lasting slightly longer than a year. Mediterranean monk seals are diurnal and feed on a variety of fish and mollusks , primarily octopus , squid , and eels , up to 3 kg per day. Although they commonly feed in shallow coastal waters, they are also known to forage at depths up to 250 meters, with an average depth varying between specimens. Monk seals prefer hunting in wide-open spaces, enabling them to use their speed more effectively. They are successful bottom-feeding hunters; some have even been observed lifting slabs of rock in search of prey. The habitat of this pinniped has changed over

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528-647: A young monk seal was spotted at the coast of Karavostasi in Cyprus , only to be found dead at the same area a few days later. On 15 March 2019, a monk seal was spotted and photographed by a group of citizens at a marina in Kuşadası . On 20 July 2019, a monk seal was spotted in Protaras bay area in Cyprus . On 27 January 2020, a young monk seal was recovered dead from Torre San Gennaro in Apulia. On 15 December 2020,

572-498: A €18,000 bounty for any evidence that "will lead to the arrest of the person(s) responsible for the killing of the seal, known as Kostis." On 24 April 2023, a large monk seal was spotted at Korakonisi, Zakynthos in Greece. It stayed on the surface for around a minute observing onlookers and then dived and was not seen again on that day. On 12 May 2023, a healthy adult female monk seal was observed and photographed resting for at least

616-410: Is Bout de Somme (Grand Sommet), which is topped by a yellow lookout tower. Piton de l'Es', a prominent cone-shaped peak close to the most southeasterly point of the island, is 360m high. Besides the main island La Galite, there are two groups of islets or rocks, which are all inaccessible. The Galitons de l'Ouest, or West Galitons, are 3 km (2 mi) southwest of the main island. They consist of

660-580: Is a monk seal belonging to the family Phocidae . As of 2015 , it is estimated that fewer than 700 individuals survive in three or four isolated subpopulations in the Mediterranean, (especially) in the Aegean Sea , the archipelago of Madeira and the Cabo Blanco area in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. It is believed to be the world's rarest pinniped species. This is the only species in

704-527: Is a recent adaptation, most likely due to the rapid increase in human population, tourism, and industry, which have caused increased disturbance by humans and the destruction of the species' natural habitat. Because of these seals' shy nature and sensitivity to human disturbance, they have slowly adapted to try to avoid contact with humans completely within the last century, and, perhaps, even earlier. The coastal caves are, however, dangerous for newborns, and are causes of major mortality among pups when sea storms hit

748-840: Is believed to have been a monk seal was viewed in Tyre, southern Lebanon; photographs have been reported among many local media. A study by the Italian Ministry of the Environment in 2013 confirmed the presence of monk seals in marine protected area in the Egadi Islands . In September and October 2013, there were a number of sightings of an adult pair in waters around RAF Akrotiri in British Sovereign Base waters in Cyprus. In November 2014, an adult monk seal

792-471: Is known of this seal's reproduction. As of 2020, it is thought that there are roughly 500 pairs of monk seals remaining in the world. Scientists have suggested that they are polygynous , with males being very territorial where they mate with females. Although there is no breeding season since births take place year-round, there is a peak in September, October, and November. Although mating will take place in

836-658: Is one more serious threat to the species, as it only has two key sites that can be deemed viable. One is the Aegean Sea (250–300 animals in Greece, with the largest concentration of animals in Gyaros island, and some 100 in Turkey); the other important subpopulation is in the Atlantic Ocean, in the Western Saharan portion of Cabo Blanco (around 270 individuals which may support the small, but growing, nucleus in

880-448: Is the timing of high surf around the areas of breeding, creating a threat to young pups. As well, if a female determines that her environment is not a safe one, she can initiate an abortion, indirectly lowering the population. Because of smaller populations there is an increase in genetic events such as inbreeding and lack of genetic variation. During other months of the year, pups have an estimated survival rate of 71%. In 2008, lactation

924-674: Is unknown. This earless seal 's historical range extended from the northern Atlantic coastline of Western Africa east to the Black Sea , including all offshore islands within the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands , Madeira , Desertas , Porto Santo , and as far west as the Azores . Vagrants could be found as far south as The Gambia and the Cape Verde (Cabo Verde) islands, and as far north as Portugal to Northern Spain and

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968-576: The Bay of Biscay to the coast of Brittany . Several causes provoked a dramatic population decrease over time: on one hand, commercial hunting (especially during the Roman Empire and Middle Ages) and, during the 20th century, eradication by fishermen, who used to consider it a pest due to the damage the seal causes to fishing nets when it preys on fish caught in them; and, on the other hand, coastal urbanization and pollution. Some seals have survived in

1012-712: The Desertas Islands – approximately 30–40 individuals ). There may be some individuals using coastal areas among other parts of Western Sahara, such as in Cintra Bay . These two key sites are virtually in the extreme opposites of the species' distribution range, which makes natural population interchange between them impossible. All the other remaining subpopulations are composed of less than 50 mature individuals, many of them being only loose groups of extremely reduced size – often less than five individuals. Other remaining populations are in southwestern Turkey and

1056-703: The Ionian Sea (both in the eastern Mediterranean). The species status is virtually moribund in the western Mediterranean, which still holds tiny Moroccan and Algerian populations, associated with rare sightings of vagrants in the Balearic Islands , Sardinia , and other western Mediterranean locations, including Gibraltar. In Sardinia the Mediterranean monk seal was last sighted in May 2007 and April 2010. The increase of sightings in Sardinia suggests that

1100-607: The Sea of Marmara , but the last report of a seal in the Black Sea dates to 1997. Monk seals were present at Snake Island until the 1950s, and several locations such as the Danube Plavni Nature Reserve  [ ru ] and Doğankent were the last known hauling-out sites post-1990. Nowadays, its entire population is estimated to be less than 700 individuals widely scattered, which qualifies this species as endangered. Its current very sparse population

1144-579: The 18th century. There are eight pairs of teeth in both jaws. Believed to have the shortest hair of any pinniped, the Mediterranean monk seal fur is black (males) or brown to dark grey (females), with a paler belly, which is close to white in males. The snout is short broad and flat, with very pronounced, long nostrils that face upward, unlike their Hawaiian relative , which tend to have more forward nostrils. The flippers are relatively short, with small slender claws. Monk seals have two pairs of retractable abdominal teats, unlike most other pinnipeds. Very little

1188-664: The MOM Hellenic Society had located a new colony of seals on a remote beach in the Aegean Sea. The exact location was not communicated so as to keep the site protected. The society was appealing to the Greek government to integrate the part of the island on which the seals live into a marine protected area . On 8 March 2011, the BBC Earth news reported that a pup seal had been spotted on 7 February while monitoring

1232-411: The average life span is thought to be 20 to 25 years old and reproductive maturity is reached at around age four. The monk seals' pups are about 1 metre (3.3 ft) long and weigh around 15–18 kilograms (33–40 lb), their skin being covered by 1–1.5 centimeter-long, dark brown to black hair. On their bellies, there is a white stripe, which differs in color and shape between the two sexes. In females

1276-500: The body of a female monk seal known to have been resident there for some time. Further investigations revealed that she was pregnant with a pup. On 13 August 2015, ten monk seals were spotted in Governor's Beach, Limassol , Cyprus . On 6 January 2016, a monk seal climbed aboard a parked boat in Kuşadası . On 10 April 2016, a monk seal was spotted and photographed by a group of foreign exchange students and local bio-engineers in

1320-679: The caves. The Mediterranean monk seal can be found in the Mediterranean Sea off of Croatia , Cyprus , Greece , and Turkey , as well as the North Atlantic Ocean off of Mauritania and Western Sahara . It may be locally-extinct (extirpated) in and around Albania , Corsica , Egypt , France , Italy , Libya , Malta , Monaco , Montenegro , southern Spain (and the Balearic Islands ), and Tunisia . Its status in Algeria , Israel , Lebanon , Morocco and Syria

1364-542: The coasts of Tel Aviv , Israel . When zoo veterinarians arrived to help the seal, it had slipped back into the waters. Members of the Israel Marine Mammal Research and Assistance Center arrived at the scene and tried to locate the injured mammal, but with no success. This was the first sighting of the species in the region since Lebanese authorities claimed to have found a population of 10–20 other seals on their coasts 70 years earlier. In addition,

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1408-430: The genus Monachus . This species of seal grows from approximately 80 centimetres (2.6 ft) long at birth up to an average of 2.4 metres (7.9 ft) as adults, females slightly shorter than males. Males weigh an average of 320 kilograms (710 lb) and females weigh 300 kilograms (660 lb), with overall weight ranging from 240–400 kilograms (530–880 lb). They are thought to live up to 45 years old;

1452-462: The municipal baths area of Paphos , Cyprus . On 18 October 2016, a monk seal was captured on video around Gulf of Kuşadası . On 3 November 2016, a monk seal was spotted at the coast of Gialousa in Cyprus . On 13 June 2017, a specimen was spotted and photographed by a group of fishermen off the coasts of Tricase in the south of Italy. In early 2018 a mother and her pup were spotted around Paphos Harbour in Cyprus . In November 2018,

1496-833: The northern Adriatic, off the island of Cres and a specimen of unverified sex on 29 June 2012. On 2 May 2013 a specimen was seen on the southernmost point of Istrian peninsula near the town of Pula . On 9 September 2013, in Pula a male specimen swam to a busy beach and entertained numerous tourists for five minutes before swimming back to the open sea. In summer 2014 sightings in Pula have occurred almost daily and monk seal stayed multiple times on crowded city beaches, sleeping calm for hours just few meters away from humans. To prevent accidents and preserve monk seal, local city council acquired special educational boards and installed on city beaches. Despite clear instructions, an incident occurred with

1540-630: The seal occasionally inhabits the Central Eastern Sardinian coasts, preserved since 1998 by the National Park of Golfo of Orosei . Colonies on the Pelagie Islands ( Linosa and Lampedusa ) were destroyed by fishermen, which likely resulted in local extinction. Cabo Blanco, in the Atlantic Ocean, is the largest surviving single population of the species, and the only remaining site that still seems to preserve

1584-539: The seal was also sighted a couple of weeks later in the northern kibbutz of Rosh Hanikra . In April 2010, there was a report of a sighting off the island of Marettimo , in the Egadi Islands off the coast of Italy , in Trapani Province . In November 2010, a Mediterranean monk seal, supposedly aged between 10 and 20, had been spotted in Bodrum , Turkey. On 31 December 2010, the BBC Earth news reported that

1628-620: The second largest and third largest islands of the Galite Islands, 158m high Le Galiton (area 0.4 km) and 137m high La Fauchelle, immediately southeast of Le Galiton. On the peak of Le Galiton is a lighthouse, 14m high. In 1980, the Ministry of Agriculture declared Le Galiton a natural reserve, to protect the Mediterranean monk seals . The smaller Galitons de l'Est, or East Galitons, also called Les Chiens or The Dogs, are at

1672-441: The stripe is usually rectangular in shape whereas in males it is usually butterfly shaped. This hair is replaced after six to eight weeks by the usual short hair adults carry. Adults will continue to molt annually, causing their color vibrancy to change throughout the year. Pregnant Mediterranean monk seals typically use inaccessible undersea caves while giving birth, though historical descriptions show they used open beaches until

1716-455: The water, females will give birth and care for the pups on beaches or underwater caves. The use of underwater caves may have begun in order to make predatory actions almost impossible as these caves are difficult to access. Because they will stay with the pups to nurse and protect, they use their stored fat reserves to nurse. Data analysis indicates that only 29% of pups born between September and January survive. One cause of this low survival rate

1760-457: The years. In ancient times, and up until the 20th century, Mediterranean monk seals had been known to congregate, give birth, and seek refuge on open beaches. In more recent times, they have left their former habitat and now only use sea caves for these activities. Often these caves are inaccessible to humans. Frequently their caves have underwater entries and many caves are positioned along remote or rugged coastlines. Scientists have confirmed this

1804-517: Was exiled to La Galite by the French colonial authorities from May 21, 1952 through May 20, 1954. The islands have been recognised as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because they support populations of Audouin's gulls , Eleonora's falcons and Sardinian warblers . [REDACTED] Media related to Galite Islands at Wikimedia Commons Mediterranean monk seal The Mediterranean monk seal ( Monachus monachus )

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1848-463: Was made possible by a recovery plan financed by Spain. Also in 2016, a new record of births was set for the colony (83 pups). However, the threat of a similar incident, which could severely reduce or wipe out the entire population, remains. In June 2009, there was a report of a sighting off the island of Giglio , in Italy. On 7 January 2010, fishermen spotted an injured Mediterranean monk seal off

1892-566: Was reported in an open beach, the first such record since 1945, which could suggest the seal could begin feeling increasingly safe to return to open beaches for breeding purposes in Cabo Blanco. Pups make first contact with the water two weeks after their birth and are weaned at around 18 weeks of age; females caring for pups will go off to feed for an average of nine hours. Most female individuals are believed to reach maturity at four years of age unto which they will begin to breed. Males begin to breed at age six. The gestation period lasts close to

1936-510: Was reportedly seen inside the port of Limassol , Cyprus . A female monk seal, called Argyro by the locals, was repeatedly seen on beaches of Samos island in 2014 and 2015, and two were reported in April 2016. In 2017, Argyro was shot and killed. On 7 April 2015, a large floating "fish" was reported near Raouche, Beirut in Lebanon , and collected by a local fisherman. This turned out to be

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