Endangered Mediterranean monk seals make rare appearance

Two Mediterranean monk seals, listed as one of the world's most endangered marine mammals, have made a rare appearance near Cypriot coasts, causing excitement among naturalists and conservationists.

The Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus Monachus) lives almost exclusively along the coasts of Cyprus, Turkey and Greece.

It is estimated that there are only about 600 of these mammals and recent surveys showed that 10 lived near Cyprus.

The mammals appeared at two different beaches on the south coast of Cyprus, frolicking very near bathers.

Haris Nicolaou, a fauna specialist at the Forestry Department, witnessed their appearance early in August and photographed the mammals.

"They were swimming along the coast... They stayed in the area for about two hours before swimming out of sight," he told Xinhua on Friday.

Melina Markou, a marine life specialist in charge of the section of protected sea-areas at the Fisheries Department, was quoted by a local newspaper as saying that the monk seals living near Cyprus use sea caves at cliff-bound spots of the south coast to give birth to their pups.

Markou said she found a one-month seal pup in November, 2011 in a cave not far from Cavo Greco, an area where tens of thousands of tourists flock in the summer.

Markou said seals used to inhabit sandy beaches but human pressure as a result of the onset of tourism forced them to adapt and seek marginal habitat in inaccessible spots.

The World Conservation Union (IUCN) describes Monachus Monachus as a "critically endangered" species.

The name "monk seal" was given to the mammal by German naturalist Johann Hermann, who wrote that as he looked at it from behind it gave him the impression of a monk in black robes and a cap on the head. Endit