Category: Mediterranean Monk Seal

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Badem escapes summer confinement

From the Hürriyet photo gallery

Turkish media are reporting that Badem has escaped her temporary summer captivity in Gökova Bay and is again interacting with bathers and beach-goers along the busy coasts of Bodrum. Several bathers are reported to have sustained injuries, and monk seal conservation organisation SAD-AFAG has again been appealing to members of the public not to swim or interact with the seal — both for their own sake and for Badem’s.

Rescued in December 2006 as an orphaned pup, Badem underwent rehabilitation in Foça, with AFAG drawing on expertise and nursing skills provided by the Zeehondencrèche Lenie ‘t Hart of the Netherlands. Regrettably, the seal became imprinted on her human carers during the 5-month process, a condition later exacerbated by swimmers’ and beachgoers’ demands for contact with her. She was released in April 2007.

Further info:

Denizde Badem korkusu. Hürriyet, 26 Ağustos 2009.

Hürriyet photo gallery.

Badem undergoes veterinary treatment. 2009. The Monachus Guardian 12(1): June 2009. http://www.monachus-guardian.org/mguard23/2316mednew.htm#Turkey

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i-monk Alliance

The International Monk Seal Conservation Alliance (i-monk Alliance), formed in November last year, has launched its own website at www.i-monk.org.

The Alliance, composed of research and conservation organisations from across the range of the species, is currently developing a number of practical initiatives to improve conservation measures for Europe’s most endangdered marine mammal, the Mediterranean monk seal, Monachus monachus. Current organisational members include CBD-Habitat (Fundación para la Conservación de la Biodiversidad y su Hábitat) of Spain, IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare), MOm (The Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal) of Greece, The Monachus Guardian (an international journal and website dedicated to monk seals), The Parque Natural da Madeira of Portugal, and SAD-AFAG (Underwater Research Society/ Mediterranean Seal Research Group) of Turkey.

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Monk seal conservation strategy launched in Greece

National Strategy coverMOm (the Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal) has announced the publication of a national conservation strategy for the species to be implemented between 2009 and 2015.

Prepared by marine mammalogist Giuseppe Notarbaratolo di Sciara in association with MOm’s own researchers, the Strategy has now been submitted to the Greek authorities and the European Commission, in the hope that its various recommendations will be officially adopted and implemented.

The report can be downloaded from MOm’s website.

Notarbartolo di Sciara, G., S. Adamantopoulou, E. Androukaki, P. Dendrinos, A.A. Karamanlidis, V. Paravas, S. Kotomatas. 2009. National strategy and action plan for the conservation of the Mediterranean monk seal in Greece, 2009 – 2015. MOm, Athens: 1–19.

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National Geographic pulls monk seal story

Following a complaint lodged by The Monachus Guardian (see Sealed with a Kiss? below), National Geographic has removed a recent picture story on its website featuring orphaned monk seal “Badem”, and National Geographic Fellow Enric Sala.

In reply to our email, Enric Sala stated: “I was shown your email today about this post on the Wild Blog site. When I read the post (which I did for the first time this morning) I was alarmed and asked for it to be removed immediately, which they did. I am well aware of the issues associated with rehabilitation of monk seals, and agree with your concerns… I apologize for any offense that this post may have caused you and our monk seal friends. I will work to make sure that this kind of mistake is not repeated.”

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Sealed With a Kiss?

Press Watch, National Geographic BlogWild, July 15, 2009

If you believe the Beatles, love is all you need. Perhaps … but best bring SCUBA gear just in case.

Badem, an orphaned monk seal that lives just off Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, gives killer hugs—literally!

The affectionate pinniped loves to play with people. […]

Marine ecologist and National Geographic Fellow Enric Sala got called in last year, along with Turkey’s Underwater Research Society (SAD-AFAG), to help teach Badem not to hurt the ones she loves. […]

Full BlogWild article


TMG comment and reply to BlogWild

Ah! for those halcyon days when National Geographic was actually a serious journal, rather than a Disney publication.

Contrary to the impression conveyed in your “report”, rescue and rehabilitation of Mediterranean monk seals — Europe’s most endangered marine mammal — is an issue of crucial importance. With few case studies from which to draw experience, each rehabilitation presents a steep learning curve to those involved — veterinarians, nurses, researchers, volunteers. Occasionally, pups in rehab may become imprinted on their human carers, and — as in Badem’s case — continue to interact with humans after release. One of the keys to remedying this behavioural aberration is to discourage beach-goers and swimmers from playing or interacting with the animal — thereby benefiting both the seal itself and the humans involved. Swimming with monk seals can be dangerous — as attested by the considerable numbers of people who have sustained injuries during such play.

Making light of the risks rather than emphasising their potential seriousness, your picture story only ends up romanticising such interactions, and is therefore the height of irresponsibility (as well as poor journalism).

To  suggest that a National Geographic Fellow was called in “to help teach Badem not to hurt the ones she loves” (i.e. by swimming and interacting with her) is not only an insult to the intelligence but also to all those dedicated people who have been working in monk seal rehab and post-release monitoring over the years.

William M. Johnson, Editor, The Monachus Guardian, www.monachus-guardian.org

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i-monk Alliance holds second meeting in Gököva Bay, Turkey

© i-monk Alliance
© i-monk Alliance

The International Monk Seal Conservation Alliance (known by its abbreviation, i-monk) held its second regular meeting in Gököva Bay, Turkey on 11-12 June 2009. Gököva Bay is the site of an integrated coastal zone management plan being implemented by i-monk Alliance member SAD-AFAG in association with Turkey’s Environment Protection Agency for Special Areas (EPASA).

i-monk Alliance participants at Gököva Bay. © SAD-AFAG
i-monk Alliance participants at Gököva Bay. © SAD-AFAG

Formally established last year, the i-monk Alliance aims to strengthen ties between monk seal conservation and research projects from the Eastern Mediterranean to the Atlantic, developing common strategies in conservation policy and operational protocols [see International Alliance takes shape in Madeira, TMG 11 (2): November 2008]. Founding and current members are CBD-Habitat (Fundación para la Conservación de la Biodiversidad y su Hábitat) of Spain, IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare), MOm (The Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal) of Greece, The Monachus Guardian (an international journal and website dedicated to monk seals and their threatened habitats), the Parque Natural da Madeira of Portugal  and SAD-AFAG (Underwater Research Society / Mediterranean Seal Research Group) of Turkey.

The Gököva Bay meeting ended with participants agreeing a raft of measures to enhance international coordination, design common operational protocols, develop joint projects, and improve public outreach and lobbying.