Projects supported

Touristic and other recreational activities are the main threats to the Mediterranean monk seal in Cyprus. In order to better understand those pressures and their impacts on the species, the project will study the physical disturbance and noise pollution that is primarily caused by touristic boats…

In Lebanon, the project coordinated by IndyAct aims to implement a national consultation in partnership with the Ministry of Environment and the University of Balamand that will engage experts, civil society, and other relevant stakeholders in forming a national monk seal coalition. Interested…

This project, led by Delphis, seeks to address the critical lack of suitable habitats for these endangered marine mammals and foster a new generation of conservationists through an integrated educational program. Since 2010, over 100 sightings of Mediterranean monk seals have been recorded along…

The National Marine Park of Alonissos Northern Sporades, the first marine area in Greece to be designated as a protected area in 1992. Its surface is 251 440 hectares, making it the largest park in the Mediterranean. It aims to protect, conserve, and manage the area's natural heritage and valuable…

The project aims to integrate the successful model of the Gyaros marine conservation initiative into the Greek Marine Protected Area (MPA) system, aligning with the EU Biodiversity strategy for 2030. The strategy calls for 30% of European marine areas to be well-managed MPAs by 2030, with 10%…

During the Monk Seal Alliance Forum in January 2023, participants signed a Declaration of Intent expressing their willingness to share data to improve knowledge of the species and inform conservation priorities on a regional scale. The MSA invited them to form a working group to define the…

The overall objective of the Project is to support the Contracting Parties of the Barcelona Convention to implement the Priority Goals stated in the newly updated Regional Strategy for the Conservation of Mediterranean Monk Seal. This will be done in synergy with the IMAP and the Ecosystem Approach…

The Project aims to enhance and strengthen the nation-wide participatory "Mediterranean Seal Information & Rescue Network" AFBIKA, to obtain seal sighting data and mitigate negative interactions between humans and monk seals, especially illegal cave penetrations. Monitoring…

The Mediterranean monk seal is catalogued as endangered by the IUCN and its estimated population worldwide is ca. 700-800 animals. Greece, Cyprus and Turkey still maintain a large population of the species, with around 350-450 individuals. Even if considered as one, the reality is that this…

This project aims to prepare countries of the Eastern Adriatic for the return of the monk seals by creating structures and capacities for the protection of the species. The preparation for the project started in 2017 when MOm, supported by EuroNatur (EN), carried out a monitoring of the population…

The project aims to improve the conservation status of the species in the region, to survey the full archipelago to identify potential monk seal habitats and mitigate negative interactions with humans. It also focuses on removal of marine litter in caves and awareness-raising activities to inform…

The Inner Ionian Sea Archipelago, occupying 866 km2 along the west coast of Greece, offers critical habitat to a complement of coastal marine mammals - the common dolphin, the bottlenose dolphin, and the Mediterranean monk seal – all subjected to variable levels of threat. Despite…

The project is taking place in the National Marine Park of Alonissos N. Sporades (which is considered one of the “friendliest” areas for the Monk Seal in the Mediterranean) and in the neighboring areas of Skopelos, Skiathos, Pelion and Evia, and Lichadonisia islets. MOm works on…

Over the past 20 years, concerted efforts have seen the Cabo Blanco monk seal population soar from a mere 100 individuals to over 350, with annual pup production rising from 26 to an impressive 80 births. These achievements, made possible through meticulous conservation strategies, underscore the…