Extract from the 2023 Activity Report / SCS AG
Our efforts are making a difference: the Mediterranean monk seal has moved from "endangered" to "vulnerable" in the IUCN classification.
SCS supports the CBD-Habitat foundation, which manages activities in the field.
The collaboration between SCS and CBD-Habitat demonstrates our dedication to protecting this endangered species.
© M.A. Cedenilla, CBD-Habitat Foundation
Once abundant in the Mediterranean, the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) is now on the brink of extinction. This marine mammal is classified among pinnipeds, along with sea lions, elephant seals, and walruses.
This species faces a daily struggle for survival, threatened by a multitude of human-induced dangers. Victim to fishermen's competition because seals eat fish caught in their nets, overfishing, pollution, and human activity in its habitats, its population has dwindled to fewer than 1,000 adult individuals.
Mediterranean monk seal. © M.A. Cedenilla, CBD-Habitat Foundation
The scientific community and environmental protection organizations, including the SCS, are taking concrete actions for the conservation of this marine mammal, and the results are promising:
In 2023, thanks to the joint efforts of the scientific community, the IUCN classification of the Mediterranean monk seal changed from "endangered" to "vulnerable."
Populations in the Atlantic, notably at Cape Blanc in Mauritania and in the Madeira archipelago, show a steady increase. In the Mediterranean, adult individuals have been identified in Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, and Sardinia, indicating a promising resurgence.
The colony at Cape Blanc in Mauritania is particularly impressive. Since the creation of the "Seal Coast" reserve in 2001, the population has quadrupled, from around a hundred individuals to over 400 in 2022. The number of annual births has also tripled, surpassing 80 per year.
Mediterranean monk seals resting on the sand. © CBD-Habitat Foundation via Monk Seal Alliance
Despite this progress, the Mediterranean monk seal remains threatened.
SCS supports the CBD-Habitat foundation, our partner in the field, which tirelessly invests in multiple fronts as part of the "Mediterranean Monk Seal Conservation Program."
CBD-Habitat is responsible for implementing this program with the Mauritanian NGO Annajah.
Continuous monitoring of the Seal Coast Reserve, recording of observed violations, monitoring breeding sites (caves), collecting demographic data from the colony, maintaining the reserve and its infrastructure are among the list of concrete actions being undertaken on-site.
Ensuring the future of this species is an immense challenge.
We need your help to save the
Mediterranean monk seal!
Mediterranean monk seal. © Lida Kypriotou
Project Coordinator at SCS: Lida Kypriotou
Lausanne, April 22, 2024
Article writing: Leonor de Carvalho / SCS
