Endangered seal spotted on Israeli beach for first time

TEL AVIV: A rare Mediterranean monk seal was spotted on an Israeli beach, the first time the endangered mammal has made land in Israel.

“This is the first sighting of its kind in Israel, a very rare and exciting event, and it is a marine mammal in danger of extinction that is important to protect and that is why we are here,” said Bar Molot, a volunteer from the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, who is helping guard the seal.

The Authority said the seal is a female, appears to be 3-5 years old and is not in any distress. The Authority added that the seal has been named Julia by a boy named Muhammed who helped protect the seal after it was first found.

Dr Mia Elser, of the Delphis Association, an Ashdod-based organization that researches and protects marine mammals, said the Mediterranean monk seal is one of the world’s 12 rarest mammals. Around 700 are believed to exist, the majority of which live on the coasts of Greece, Turkey and Cyprus. Others live off the coast of Western Sahara and Mauritania,

Their reproduction rate — one offspring every two to three years — means their likelihood of extinction is very high, Dr Elser said.

Researchers and volunteers from Delphis are also helping protect Julia from curious people approaching too closely. The seal, they said, appears to be simply exhausted after swimming a long distance. Dr Elser noted that Julia did not attempt to move away from people gathering around her, a sign of fatigue.

“We have records of seals of this species sleeping for three consecutive days in a cave,” Dr Elser said. “She tries to stay dry even though the sea is rising, constantly moving and staying away from the breaking waves.”

Is it possible Julia will stay?

“If we want them to stay here, we must provide them with a place where they can rest undisturbed,” Dr Elser said. “We must provide a home for the seals.”

Delphis is examining options to create conditions that will allow seals to remain in Israel. One possibility is the restoration of caves in the Rosh HaNikra Marine Nature Reserve on Israel’s northern coast in collaboration with the Nature and Parks Authority.