Mediterranean Monk Seal
Monachus monachus
Conservation Status
Near ThreatenedMammalia · Carnivora · Phocidae
About
The Mediterranean monk seal 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 spanning the border of Mauritania and Western Sahara. It is believed to be the world's rarest pinniped species. It is the only extant species in the genus Monachus, the other two monk seal species being in Neomonachus.
Fun Fact
Mediterranean monk seals are the world's rarest pinniped — fewer than 700 survive — and they have retreated from open beaches to inaccessible sea caves to avoid human disturbance.
Quick Facts
Habitat
Coastal caves and beaches
Diet
Piscivore
Lifespan
20-30 years
Threats
- Ocean Pollution
- Ocean Acidification
- Illegal Wildlife Trade
- Overfishing