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Croatian and Italian groups continue joint monitoring at Kamenjak

Photo: Marko Jelic, GFM

Jasna Antolović reports that Croation and Italian groups (Grupa Sredozemna Medvjedica; Gruppo Foca Monaca) continue their regular monitoring of the Kamenjak peninsula (Pula), where sightings over recent years suggest that the species is attempting to reestablish itself after a long absence.

On 24 March, GSM member Marko Jelic succeeded in taking a photograph of a monk seal resting on the beach of a cave in the area — apparently a first in the history of the conservation of the species in the Adriatic.

Continue reading “Croatian and Italian groups continue joint monitoring at Kamenjak”

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Pups’ release confirmed

Pups' release. Courtesy: SAD-AFAG

Turkish NGO SAD-AFAG has confirmed that the release of two Mediterranean monk seal pups took place on 2 April 2011 along the remote coasts between Gazipaşa (Antalya) and Anamur (Mersin), one of twelve “Important Monk Seal Sites” recognised by the government of Turkey in need of protection.

The orphaned pups had been in rehab in Foça since they were rescued in separate locations on the Mediterranean coast on the 18 December 2010.

Continue reading “Pups’ release confirmed”

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Pups deemed ready for release

Photo Courtesy SAD-AFAG

Two orphaned Mediterranean monk seal pups, under rehab in the Turkish Aegean town of Foça for the last three and a half months, will be released on 2 April, NGO SAD-AFAG has announced [Monk seal pups to be released].

The pups were both discovered on the 18 December 2010 but in separate locations: in the Bozyazı region, Mersin, and the Kas region, Antalya [see Two orphaned pups enter rehab in Foça].

Continue reading “Pups deemed ready for release”

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Tsunamis drag newborn monk seal away from mother

Media Watch, Honolulu Star Advertiser, 28 March 2011
Laysan albatross chick washed ashore at Midway Atoll. Courtesy: US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Tsunamis generated by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake off Japan earlier this month swept up a one week-old Hawaiian monk seal pup and separated her from her mother at a remote atoll northwest of the main Hawaiian islands, but a state wildlife worker managed to reunite the pair shortly after.

The pup was crying for her mother after tsunamis hit Kure Atoll nearly 1,400 miles northwest of Honolulu on March 11, said the atoll’s field camp supervisor Cynthia Vanderlip, a biologist with the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. But the mother was asleep about 150 feet away and didn’t hear her pup’s cries.

Vanderlip waited a while, then carried the tiny seal to her mother.

“The mom — she growled at me for that. She wasn’t very grateful. But they immediately nuzzled,” Vanderlip told reporters Monday. […]

Full Story: Honolulu Star Advertiser / Associated Press.

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Help the Guardian stay online

Support monk seal conservation. Help us stay on line. The Monachus Guardian is the only dedicated source of news and information on the world’s endangered monk seals. Its publication fulfils explicit recommendations of international conservation action plans for the species.

Since its first issue in May 1998, it has carried reports, news and opinion from over 200 contributors in 30+ countries, including 150 feature or scientific articles and over 1,000 news items. Its authors have ranged from Mediterranean fishermen to UN diplomats, government ministers to marine park managers, ecological historians to veterinarians.

If you read or make use of The Monachus Guardian, and support its objectives to bring monk seal conservation to an international readership, please consider making a financial contribution securely via PayPal to keep the journal and website online.

For comments or suggestions, including possible funding leads that might keep The Monachus Guardian alive and kicking, please contact us at info@monachus-guardian.org.

Thank you.

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‘Nereus’ released into the Sporades Marine Park

Nereus, released into Sporades Marine Park

In a brief press statement issued today, Greek NGO MOm announced that Mediterranean monk seal pup ‘Nereus’ had been released into the National Marine Park of Alonnisos, Northern Sporades on Saturday March 19. Although no information was provided on the location, previous releases have occurred on uninhabited outlying islands within the Park.

The 4-month old seal, reports MOm, weighed in at 50 kg at its release. The pup was found stranded on a remote beach on the Aegean island of Kythira on 7 February, and was visibly weak and undernourished when the decision came to transfer him to the MOm rehabilitation 7 days later [Seal pup enters rehab on Alonnisos].

In contrast to previous releases, Nereus appears not to have been equipped with any post-release electronic tracking device (satellite or mobile phone). No explanation was provided in the MOm press statement, nor any indication if any form of post-release monitoring is planned.