Following recent reports of sightings of Mediterranean Monk Seal Monachus monachus individuals in the coastal area of Ayia Napa on social media by enthusiastic visitors who have flooded the area, the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research (DFA), wishes to share its knowledge and concerns about the species with the general public, with the aim of protecting this beautiful yet vulnerable iconic species that we are honoured to host in our waters.
As is well known, the Mediterranean seal is the rarest of the 33 species of seals in the world and is protected by national, European and international legislation. It is included in the IUCN Red List as an "endangered" species and is considered the number one threatened marine mammal in Europe. In Cyprus, its population is around 19 individuals.
The Mediterranean seal prefers rocky and inaccessible coasts and sea caves, where it can enjoy seclusion and tranquillity. Although it spends most of its life at sea, it uses terrestrial habitats for both resting and breeding. The existence of such terrestrial habitats in an area is considered an important factor for the survival of the species and they require protection.
The Mediterranean monk seal has always been an element of the biodiversity of Cyprus. However, from the 1960s until the end of the 2010s, sightings of the species were rare and there was no evidence of breeding activity. From 2011 onwards it appears that the species is recovering in Cypriot seas and has now established a local, albeit small, but breeding population.
Since 2010, the Mediterranean Seal Monitoring Team, which is composed of specialized staff from the Departments of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, has been implementing an intensive monitoring programme, with visits to the sea caves, noting the presence of individuals, as well as any signs of cave use by seals (e.g. tracks, droppings, characteristic strong smell, etc.), and the placement of light traps. The Monitoring Team recorded all the shelters used by the species throughout the Cyprus coastline and with the help of special equipment, monitoring is carried out on a 24-hour basis. In addition, a database is maintained at the CST, in which seal sightings around the island are noted. With the use of light traps and live feed cameras installed in the sea caves, it is possible to monitor the species with minimal human intervention in its shelters.
For the Ayia Napa area, the monitoring team, in recent years with the installation of cameras, maintains a record of individuals visiting the caves in the area. It is imperative that people understand and respect the need to isolate the animals using the area and not to intrude in any way either within their shelters (especially during this sensitive breeding period) or in the area in general. The risks are too numerous, for example the abandonment of newborns by their mothers resulting in their death from starvation, up to the abandonment of their safe shelter and transfer from their mother to another, unsuitable place due to constant disturbance by the human presence. Let us not be the cause of the loss of even one life of these iconic species of our land so that they can continue to adorn the Cypriot seas and the biodiversity of our land. Any disturbance will lead them to other areas and perhaps outside Cyprus, which none of us would wish for.
We must always bear in mind that animal behaviour is significantly affected by human presence and therefore we should respect their presence without interfering with their habitat.
In case of sighting of a Mediterranean Seal in Cyprus, please send the relevant data/data of the sighting to mmarcou@dfmr.moa.gov.cy In case of sighting an injured or dead animal, please contact 24205907 and 22805532.
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