Middle Eastern Endangered Animals
Mediterranean Monk Seal
Appearence
Also called the monachus monachus, the monk seal is one of the rarest animals of the world. The Mediterranean Monk Seal weighs about 240-300 kg. pounds and can reach the length of 2.3-2.8 m. in length. The males are a little bigger than the females. These animals have grey or brown coats that have a lighter belly and; are smooth. White of light patches are common for the Mediterranean Monk Seal.
Mediterranean Monk Seal
Habitat
The Mediterranean Monk Seal prefers to be in islands or mainland areas that are away from predators. They do their pupping in caves. It is native in Algeria, Greece, Mauritania, Portugal, Turkey, Western Sahara
Food
Mediterranean Monk Seals have taken a number of species for their prey. They have been seen eating different types of octopus, mullet, other fish. These animals have even been seen eating turtles! Information gathered from a biology teacher in Cupertino says that losing a certain species of an animal can be very effective on the food chain. For example, if the Mediterranean Monk Seal was completely wiped out, their predators would be scarce in food and die off. The prey of the seals would overpopulate, higher eating the lower and lower eating the higher and they same death effect could take place. Of course some random effect on the wilderness could help that part of the ocean survive through such tragedies. The point proven that it is better off we keep this species alive.
Loggerhead Sea Turtle
This animal has been seen eaten by a Mediterranean Monk Seal.
Striped Red Mullet
Also prey of the Mediterranean Monk Seal.
Seabream
One of the many animals that are prey of the Mediterranean Monk Seal.
Adaption
The mediterranean Monk Seal is possibly extinct in Libya, Tunisia and other countries. Also they are regionally extinct in Albiana, Bosnia, Egypt, and more countries. Not many notes were shown on adaption but from these few you can tell that they are not doing well in adaptions. In fact, they have been critically endangered since 1996 and have not moved from that scale that is both good and bad ,but , is showing they have not made enough adaptions for this world.
Critical
Mediterranean Monk Seals are on peril of extinction. Due to the constant demand for it's skin and oil. Present day extermination is caused by displacing their habitat, destruction of caves (which they breed in), and accidental entanglement. Also fishermen consider them competitors for fish and they end up killing the poor seals! Other reasons are pollution and disease. They can suffer from decreasing amounts of fish stocks as well as being tampered with by anti-seal methods. Illegal dynamite fishing can also kill The metiteranean Monk Seal. Nets are a major threat, trawl-nets, long-lines, abandoned-nets, and most vulnerably set-nets. Mediterranean Monk seals heave one of the lowest genetic diversity and the consequence of mating with close related individuals can result in birth defects, still born pups, and a decreased reproductive rate. Their genetic diversity is almost at the point where they cannot reproduce fast enough to reproduce fast enough to overcome random effects of survival. Morbillivirus was found already spirling in the Mediteranean monk seal. However, scientist did find out that what killed most seals off of this effect was toxins instead of the virus, continuation on this subject is un-needed. Other matters to be said are contamination and oil spills. Although, things have been done about these problems and are now protected by law in many countries.
Critical Endangerment
A Greek National Programme has been established they try to prevent human disturbance. Also the IUCN Species Survival Commission Seal Specialist Group have made an Action Plan for the conservation for the species. Some people have captive breeding so the species does not go extinct.
Citations
"Mediterranean Monk Seal." Mediterranean Monk Seal. 2013. <http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/13653/0>.
"Mediterranean Monk Seal." Mediterranean Monk Seal. 2013. <http://www.earthsendangered.com/profile.asp?gr=&view=c&ID=8&sp=829>.
"Mediterranean Monk Seal." Mediterranean Monk Seal. 2013. <http://www.arkive.org/mediterranean-monk-seal/monachus-monachus/>.