The Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus) in the Aegean Sea. “The Living Myth of the Sirens”

The Aegean Sea is one of the marine areas of our planet that has maintained its mystique throughout time. One of the species contributing to this mystique is the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus). The species has inhabited the waters of the Aegean since classical times, a fact that was well-known to ancient Greeks. Unfortunately, gradual, yet dramatic changes in human attitudes toward nature, technological developments, and an ever-increasing human population in need of resources, led to the demise of the Mediterranean monk seal and its disappearance from large parts of its historical range. Today the species is considered to be “Endangered,” numbering fewer than 800 individuals worldwide, while the Aegean Sea is one of its last strongholds, hosting a number of pupping sites that are important for the survival of the species. The recent evolutionary and demographic history of the species has been crucial in shaping the social life of the Mediterranean monk seal in the Aegean Sea: the species survives in small colonies, rarely numbering more than a couple of dozen individuals. Ongoing (genetic) monitoring indicates that monk seals currently roam widely throughout the Aegean Sea and beyond. The future of the Mediterranean monk seal in the Aegean Sea is still threatened by deliberate killing, accidental entanglement and habitat loss and fragmentation. Conservation priorities for the species in the Aegean Sea include the continued operation of Rescue and Information Networks in Greece and Turkey, effectively mitigating monk seal—fishery interactions and protecting critical pupping habitat.