Europe
Mediterranean Monk Seal
General Description
The Mediterranean Monk Seal is a relative to the Hawaiian Monk Seal and is critically endangered. They are mammals, live in the ocean, and eat things like eels and fish. They are also know as the Monachus monachus.
A seal checking out a boat
A seal in it's natural habitat
Two seals communicating
Food Chain
The Mediterranean Monk Seal gets it's food from the ocean. They find food within the ocean in caves and tide pools. They are omnivores. The Mediterranean Monk Seal is both a predator and prey. It is a predator to eels and fish. It is prey to humans.
Habitat
The Mediterranean Monk Seal lives in the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, and along the northwest African coast. The terrain of these places are beaches, caves, and oceans. The climate is tropical, warm, and wet. Throughout all these places the Mediterranean Monk Seal live mainly in cave and in the ocean.
Adaption
The Mediterranean Monk Seals do not have a way of defending themselves, making them more vulnerable. Before there were many people on the beaches, the Mediterranean Monk Seal would reproduce on beaches. But, due to heavy population, the seals have been forced to reproduce in quiet caves. They eat and capture their food with their powerful jaws and teeth.
Endangerment and Critical Information
The Mediterranean Monk Seal lives in the Mediterranean Sea, reproduces in caves, hunts eels, sardines,tuna, lobsters, flatfish, and mullets. The seals are one of the most endangered mammals in the world. They are endangered because humans killed them nearly to extinction in the 1800's. There are many organizations that are working to protect the seals and local fishermen have been notified about this issue.
Mediterranean_monk_seal_(Monachus_monachus)
Attribution for Images
1)Seal checking out a boat: photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/eltpics/5191705915/">eltpics</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/">cc</a>
2) A seal in it's natural habitat:photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/38504374@N02/3607326658/">flickkerphotos</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">cc</a>
3) Two seal communicating: photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/w0lfie/5799368685/">Brian Russo</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">cc</a>