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    HomeGalleriesWild Wonders of EuropeBiodiversity

    Monk Seals16

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    Meet the Mediterranean Monk Seal, the most endangered seal on the planet, photographed by Nuno Sá in the Desertas Islands archipelago off Madeira, where a relict population of less than 30
    individuals exist. Nuno was privileged to capture the courtship and mating behaviour of this extremely rare marine mammal.

    From a total world population of less than 450, two thirds live along the coasts and among the islands of Greece and Turkey. The main threats to this critically endangered species come from human pressure, destruction of caves, competition from fishing, disease, pollution and reduced genetic diversity. The IUCN Species Survival Commission Seal Specialist Group has devised an Action Plan for the conservation of the species, which aims to involve local fishermen, to research into the status of the species and to develop a captive breeding programme.
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    Wild Wonders of Europe / Sá / Large male Mediterranean Monk seal (Monachus monachus) Deserta Grande, Desertas Islands, Madeira, Portugal, August 2009, Critically endangered species
    01268549
    Wild Wonders of Europe / Sá / Large male Mediterranean Monk seal (Monachus monachus) Deserta Grande, Desertas Islands, Madeira, Portugal, August 2009, Critically endangered species
    Wild Wonders of Europe / Sá / Mediterranean Monk seal (Monachus monachus) Deserta Grande, Desertas Islands, Madeira, Portugal, August 2009, Critically endangered species
    01268562
    Wild Wonders of Europe / Sá / Mediterranean Monk seal (Monachus monachus) Deserta Grande, Desertas Islands, Madeira, Portugal, August 2009, Critically endangered species
    Wild Wonders of Europe / Sá / Female Mediterranean Monk seal (Monachus monachus) Deserta Grande, Desertas Islands, Madeira, Portugal, August 2009, Critically endangered species
    01268550
    Wild Wonders of Europe / Sá / Female Mediterranean Monk seal (Monachus monachus) Deserta Grande, Desertas Islands, Madeira, Portugal, August 2009, Critically endangered species
    Wild Wonders of Europe / Sá / Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus) juvenile female hunting, Areias, Deserta Grande, Desertas Islands, Madeira, Portugal, August 2009
    01268577
    Wild Wonders of Europe / Sá / Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus) juvenile female hunting, Areias, Deserta Grande, Desertas Islands, Madeira, Portugal, August 2009
    Wild Wonders of Europe / Sá / Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus) juvenile female hunting on seabed, Areias, Deserta Grande, Desertas Islands, Madeira, Portugal, August 2009
    01268580
    Wild Wonders of Europe / Sá / Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus) juvenile female hunting on seabed, Areias, Deserta Grande, Desertas Islands, Madeira, Portugal, August 2009
    Wild Wonders of Europe / Sá / Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus) juvenile female hunting, Areias, Deserta Grande, Desertas Islands, Madeira, Portugal, August 2009
    01268581
    Wild Wonders of Europe / Sá / Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus) juvenile female hunting, Areias, Deserta Grande, Desertas Islands, Madeira, Portugal, August 2009
    Wild Wonders of Europe / Sá / Mediterranean Monk seal (Monachus monachus) pair courting on rocks on seabed, Deserta Grande, Desertas Islands, Madeira, Portugal, August 2009, Critically endangered species
    01268552
    Wild Wonders of Europe / Sá / Mediterranean Monk seal (Monachus monachus) pair courting on rocks on seabed, Deserta Grande, Desertas Islands, Madeira, Portugal, August 2009, Critically endangered species
    Wild Wonders of Europe / Sá / Mediterranean Monk seal (Monachus monachus) pair mating, Deserta Grande, Desertas Islands, Madeira, Portugal, August 2009, Critically endangered species
    01268556
    Wild Wonders of Europe / Sá / Mediterranean Monk seal (Monachus monachus) pair mating, Deserta Grande, Desertas Islands, Madeira, Portugal, August 2009, Critically endangered species
    Wild Wonders of Europe / Sá / Mediterranean Monk seal (Monachus monachus) pair mating, Deserta Grande, Desertas Islands, Madeira, Portugal, August 2009, Critically endangered species
    01268558
    Wild Wonders of Europe / Sá / Mediterranean Monk seal (Monachus monachus) pair mating, Deserta Grande, Desertas Islands, Madeira, Portugal, August 2009, Critically endangered species
    Wild Wonders of Europe / Sá / Furadinho cave, regularly visited by Monk seal (Monachus monachus) with view of Bugio Island, Deserta Grande, Desertas Islands, Madeira, Portugal, August 2009
    01268582
    Wild Wonders of Europe / Sá / Furadinho cave, regularly visited by Monk seal (Monachus monachus) with view of Bugio Island, Deserta Grande, Desertas Islands, Madeira, Portugal, August 2009
    Wild Wonders of Europe / Sá / Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus) juvenile female hunting, Areias, Deserta Grande, Desertas Islands, Madeira, Portugal, August 2009
    01268578
    Wild Wonders of Europe / Sá / Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus) juvenile female hunting, Areias, Deserta Grande, Desertas Islands, Madeira, Portugal, August 2009
    Wild Wonders of Europe / Sá / Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus) juvenile female hunting, Areias, Deserta Grande, Desertas Islands, Madeira, Portugal, August 2009
    01268579
    Wild Wonders of Europe / Sá / Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus) juvenile female hunting, Areias, Deserta Grande, Desertas Islands, Madeira, Portugal, August 2009
    Wild Wonders of Europe / Sá / Coastal cliffs, Deserta Grande, Desertas Islands, Madeira, Portugal, August 2009
    01268572
    Wild Wonders of Europe / Sá / Coastal cliffs, Deserta Grande, Desertas Islands, Madeira, Portugal, August 2009
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