JUST PUBLISHED: The Monachus Guardian, June 2009

Cover Story: Freedom at last for KP2
Cover Story: Freedom at last for KP2

We have now published the June 2009 issue of The Monachus Guardian, the biannual electronic journal focusing on the Mediterranean, Hawaiian and Caribbean monk seals. The site can be accessed at http://www.monachus-guardian.org.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CURRENT ISSUE:

Guest Editorial: Monk seal: metaphor for the Mediterranean ecosystem, by Ali Cemal Gücü…

International News: IUCN World Congress votes overwhelmingly for monk seal action — but will its own specialist group pay any heed? …. plus, Who are our seals? Moving towards a standardized population estimate approach for Monachus monachus — a report on the ECS Workshop in Istanbul.

Hawaiian News: Ecosystem healthy; monk seals plunging…

Mediterranean News: Croatia: Comeback sightings… Greece: STOP PRESS | Artemis found dead on Skiathos… Turkey: Badem undergoes veterinary treatment… Mauritania: Open beach observations on the rise in Cabo Blanco…

Cover Story: Freedom at last for KP2, the first successfully released hand-reared Hawaiian monk seal, by David Schofield…

In Focus I: Artemis diary, by Eugenia Androukaki…

In Focus II: Our monk seal ambassador, ‘Desertinha’, dies in Madeira, by Rosa Pires…

Perspectives I: Our Sea, Our Life, by Konstantinos Mentzelopoulos…

Perspectives II: The 1st International Conference for Marine Mammal Protected Areas: a long overdue workshop on both Monachus species, by Spyros Kotomatas, Vangelis Paravas, Harun Güçlüsoy and Rosa Pires…

Letters to the Editor: Volunteering and internships in monk seal conservation…

Recent Publications.

The current and back issues of The Monachus Guardian are also available from the Monk Seal Library http://www.monachus-guardian.org/library.htm and may either be viewed on-line, or downloaded as PDF files.

Badem released from ‘protective custody’

With the 2008 tourist season on the wane and beachgoers diminishing, monk seal ‘Badem’ was released from her temporary captivity in September.

The rescued seal had been taken into protective care in early July, both for her own safety and that of bathers, with whom she was increasingly interacting [see Ambassador with attitude, TMG 11(1): June 2008; Badem under armed guard, Latest News, June 2008; and Badem in ‘protective custody’, Latest News, 2 August 2008.] Continue reading “Badem released from ‘protective custody’”

Badem in ‘protective custody’

In early July, rehabilitated Mediterranean monk seal ‘Badem’ was brought into temporary captivity, both for her own safety and that of swimmers and holidaymakers, with whom she was increasingly interacting [see Badem under armed guard, Latest News, June 2008].

The move followed several injuries that the playful or deliberately provoked seal inflicted upon swimmers, death-threats issued against her, and concerns by tourist enterprises and local government that her antics might ultimately drive away tourists rather than attract them.

Continue reading “Badem in ‘protective custody’”

Badem faces death threats

Press Watch —  The Voices Newspaper, 15 June 2008

DIDIM’s adopted seal Badem has been assigned three gendarme officials after one man threatened to harpoon it.

The seal, which injured a number of people last week in Bodrum, including Asım Küçükosmanoğlu who was trying to play with him, caused one person to threaten to harm the hapless animal.

Not leaving the Bodrum Ören Beach for days, Badem was again the centre of attention last week when he [sic] bit several people, including 65-year-old lawyer Küçükosmanoğlu who almost drowned due to the incident.

Continue reading “Badem faces death threats”

Badem under armed guard

With the tourist season now well underway along Turkey’s Aegean coast, orphaned monk seal pup Badem continues to make friends – but also enemies [see Ambassador with Attitude, TMG 11(1): June 2008].

Three armed gendarme officers have now been assigned to watch over the seal, following threats by a speargun diver that he would harpoon the animal. It is believed that threats by others may also have prompted that official action, as well as appeals by SAD-AFAG, the organisation monitoring Badem’s welfare.

Continue reading “Badem under armed guard”