The
Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus
monachus) is a seal
belonging to the Phocidae
family. At some 450–510 (fewer than 600) remaining individuals, it is believed
to be the world's second-rarest seal (second only to the Saimaa ringed seal),
and one of the most endangered mammals in the world.
Males
weigh an average of 315 kg (695 lbs) and females weigh 300 kg
(660 lbs).
They
are thought to live up to 45 years old; the average life span is thought to be
20 to 25 years old and reproductive maturity is reached at around age four.
Mediterranean
monk seals are diurnal and
feed on a variety of fish and mollusks,
primarily octopus, squid, and
eels, up
to 3 kg per day. This seal's
former range extended throughout the Northwest Atlantic Africa, Mediterranean
and Black Sea,
coastlines, including all offshore islands of the Mediterranean, and into the Atlantic and
its islands: Canary, Madeira, Ilhas Desertas, Porto Santo, and
as far west as the Azores.
The fishing village of Câmara
de Lobos, or Bay of Seals, which is located about seven km southwest of Funchal
gets its name for the fact that when the discoverers first reached the area
they saw a seal-infested chamber.
No comments:
Post a Comment