Seals on the Brink: The Remarkable Revival of the Mediterranean Monk Seal

The Mediterranean monk seal, once on the brink of extinction, is making a remarkable comeback thanks to conservation efforts led by Greece's MOm. The charity rehabilitates orphaned and injured seals, providing them with care before reintroducing them to the wild. The population's recovery marks a significant conservation success.

Panagis, an orphaned seal pup, enjoys a mackerel meal at a Greek rehabilitation center, signaling his health improvement. Rescued from Cyprus' coast, he's nearing release back into the wild. This is a part of Greece's MOm program rescuing dozens of endangered Mediterranean monk seals, whose population once faced extinction.

Known scientifically as Monachus monachus, these seals are among the rarest marine mammals globally. Conservation efforts since the 1980s, led by pioneers like Panagiotis Dendrinos, have resulted in the species' remarkable recovery. In recent years, these seals have moved from critically endangered to vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, indicating their improving status.

MOm, Greece's only seal rehabilitation center, operates tirelessly, using planes, boats, and taxis to rescue injured seals like Panagis. Once rehabilitated, seals are returned to the wild, tagged for tracking. Recently, a released female was spotted with a pup, showcasing the program's success and hope for the species' future.

(With inputs from agencies.)