The Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) is a monk seal belonging to the family Phocidae. As of 2015 , it is estimated that fewer than 700 individuals survive in three or four isolated subpopulations in … See more

Mediterranean monk seals are diurnal and feed on a variety of fish and mollusks, primarily octopus, squid, and eels, up to 3 kg per day. Although they commonly feed in shallow coastal … See more

The Mediterranean monk seal can be found in the Mediterranean Sea off of Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey, as well as the North Atlantic Ocean off of Mauritania See more

The Mediterranean monk seal occasionally appears in Classical mythology. In Homer's The Odyssey, the sea god Proteus is shown herding monk seals for See more

This species of seal grows from approximately 80 centimetres (2.6 ft) long at birth up to an average of 2.4 metres (7.9 ft) as adults, … See more

The habitat of this pinniped has changed over the years. In ancient times, and up until the 20th century, Mediterranean monk seals had … See more

Damage inflicted on fishermen's nets and rare attacks on off-shore fish farms in Turkey and Greece are known to have pushed local people towards hunting the Mediterranean monk seal, but mostly out of revenge, rather than population control. Preservation efforts … See more