MOm/Hellenic Society for the Study & Protection of the Monk Seal, 7 December 2011
On Tuesday December 6, the Port Police of Rhodes and the Dodecanese Fisheries Director and President of the Management Body of the Protected Area Karpathos-Saria, Ms. Fotaki Marigo, informed MOm of a dead monk seal on the Karavola islet southwest of Rhodes.
On the same day, the Security Chief of the Port Police of Rhodes, Mr. Vasilis Milathianakis, and volunteers from the Free Diving Association of Dodecanese-Rhodes, went to the site to confirm the incident and collect information and data. In consultation with the Director of MOm’s Rescue and Information Network, Ms. Marianna Psaradellis, all necessary arrangements were made for the collection of samples, since the area is remote and transport of the animal was not possible.
Media Watch, News Release, Lingle US Senate 2012, 29 November 2011
HONOLULU – Former Governor Linda Lingle sent a letter today to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration regarding their proposed rule to designate the main Hawaiian Islands as a critical habitat for the Hawaiian Monk Seal.
She released the following statement:
“A recent proposal by the Federal Government to make 4,787 square miles of land and water in Hawaii a federal critical habitat is another example of government over-reach and insensitivity to the concerns of the people of this State.
Media Watch, European Commission Press Release, 21 November 2011
Natura 2000, the EU’s network of protected areas, has undergone a significant expansion. Nearly 18 800 square kilometres have been added, including a major addition of marine areas covering 17 000 square kilometres which will increase protection for many endangered marine species. The network now covers almost 18% of the EU’s landmass and more than 145 000 km² of its seas. The main countries involved in this latest expansion are the UK, France, Belgium, Greece, Cyprus, Hungary, Lithuania and Italy. Natura 2000 is the centrepiece of Europe’s battle to halt biodiversity loss and safeguard ecosystem services. […]
The last issue of TMG included a “photo quiz” promoted by the Italian Monk Seal Group – Gruppo Foca Monaca: the photo was one out of 41 shots taken by a tourist from a low cliff near the tower of Campese, on the north-western part of Giglio, and the marine mammal was at about 20 meters distance from the coast. The sighting lasted for more than half an hour, and other people were present. TMG staff comment was very clear: “As far as TMG is concerned… we think we see two seals (to judge from the stretched appearance and the subtle foreground shape…)”.
The quiz picturePhoto 1 and 2 (Courtesy Marco Prete)
I would like here to give my personal evaluations to the event. As GFM, we made an accurate evaluation of the photo (including all the others), and we reached the same conclusion: the presence, at the same moment and in the same place, of two animals, something that was not at all noticed by the photographer.
One of the two seals was sighted many times (approx. 10), from 11:58 up to 12:35. The photos were taken in this lapse of time with a professional Canon, using a 200 mm zoom, and with 3 shots/second setting.
The animal looked very disturbed, raising the head out of the water, a behaviour clearly visible in the photo no. 1, the first of seven shots, where the sixth (photo no. 2) shows how the seal was looking towards “something” just behind, and not towards the observers that were standing up on the cliff.
Photo 3 (Courtesy Marco Prete)
A second sequence of three shots (11:59) shows the second seal diving (photo no.3): it is possible to notice the difference from the first seal looking at the skin colour, much darker (typical of adult males). Have a look at the insets included in the same picture: the colour is much lighter.
Several shots, including the one featured in the “photo quiz”, show the lighter seal together with a part view of hind flippers, placed in a position impossible to be its own: the most likely explanation is that the other seal was just underneath, trying to catch her: a behaviour suggestive of courtship.
Photo 4 (Courtesy Marco Prete)
Finally, within the lapse of time between the first and the last picture, the lighter seal did not move away from the cliff, but – as it is shown in the last photo (photo no. 4) – she came closer, further confirming that she did not care very much about the people watching her from the rocks.
If I can add some further considerations to the description of the behaviour of such a still rather unknown species, (I guess somebody could define it as enriched by personal “insights”), I must admit that I was a bit frustrated by the fact that there were no other notes or comments to the “photo quiz”, apart from the one of TMG. This aspect can be assumed as a clear symbol of the lack of ideas or information exchange among the community dealing with monk seal study and conservation. I am personally convinced that monk seals can be saved only through a sincere and clear exchange of ideas and information among all those involved in their conservation. I unfortunately learned, on several occasions, that this does not happen at all, and this “behaviour” often involves those that work “professionally” on the issue. The reasons for such “scientific discretion” can vary and are sometimes understandable, but we should not forget that the monk seal is one of the rarest species on earth, and any information, even partial, is extremely important for the conservation community, to improve the protection.
TMG replies: After making comparisons with other photographs of adult female Mediterranean monk seals TMG had to reverse its opinion that “we think we see two seals” in the picture of the “photo quiz”. Comparing pictures, we thought it much more likely that it shows just one animal. Also now, after finally seeing all the pictures in the gallery, we see no convincing evidence to the contrary. — Matthias Schnellmann
Media Watch, The Mainichi Daily News, 16 November 2011
Hawaii’s environment could be in danger as debris from Japan’s earthquake and tsunami in March, including lumber and home appliances adrift in the Pacific, has been approaching, researchers said at a meeting in Honolulu on Monday.
“The larger the piece, the more dangerous the piece,” said Nikolai Maximenko of the International Pacific Research Center at the meeting on mitigating the impact of the debris on coastlines.
Large debris could damage reefs and shore-side facilities, while small debris could pollute beaches and injure endangered species such as the Hawaiian monk seal, said speakers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and marine cleanup groups. […]
Proposed rule to revise Hawaiian monk seal Critical Habitat — Public comment period reopened
On June 2, 2011 NOAA Fisheries published a proposed rule to revise Hawaiian monk seal critical habitat. The public comment period was open for 90-days, until August 31, 2011. In response to public concerns and comments, NOAA Fisheries has decided to reopen the public comment period for the proposed rule to revise critical habitat for the Hawaiian monk seal. The public comment period will be reopened from November 7, 2011 for 60-days and will close on January 6, 2012.
On Tuesday December 6, the Port Police of Rhodes and the Dodecanese Fisheries Director and President of the Management Body of the Protected Area Karpathos-Saria, Ms. Fotaki Marigo, informed MOm of a dead monk seal on the Karavola islet southwest of Rhodes.
