What is a Mediterranean monk seal?

During adulthood and juveniles, the fur of the seal becomes shorter and shinier. Adult males have black plumage and usually have a white ventral patch. In contrast, adult females typically display brown or gray plumage and a lighter belly.

kingofpunjabians

Jan 4, 2026 - 16:40

Female monk seals may give birth in consecutive years and often give birth on the same few days each year. While puppies can be born year-round, most puppies occur in the fall.

The Mediterranean monk seal population is currently limited to 600 or 700 individuals and 350 to 450 adults. The abundance of Mediterranean monk seals in the Cabo Blanco subpopulation is estimated to be approximately 3% of its historical abundance. However, this species shows signs of local recovery in each of the three extant subpopulations.

Newborn pups have a black or dark brown fur coat called "lanugo" with a white, sometimes speckled, patch on the seal's belly. The shape, size, spot pattern, and position of patches vary between seals and can be used to identify individual seals and their sex prior to their first molt. The first molt occurs when the puppy is about four to eight weeks old, and short, shiny, gray hair replaces the long, black lanugo.

Historically, monk seals were bred to rest and raise their young on open beaches, but due to centuries of human persecution and disturbance, they have been driven from many of their native habitats. Today, in response to anthropogenic pressure, females give birth in remote sea caves. Breeding females prefer caves where they and their young cannot be seen. These caves have some lighting, multiple entrances/escapes, low risk of pup washout, inner beaches with soft substrate, and are not easily accessible to humans. Generally, Mediterranean monk seals are thought to swim and feed in shallow waters and near the surface. The Mediterranean monk seal is considered an opportunistic predator and feeds on a variety of prey including bony fish, cephalopods (especially the common octopus Octopus vulgaris), and crustaceans.

The current Mediterranean monk seal population is estimated to be between 440 and 540 adults. While the population of Cabo Blanco currently has a positive internal growth rate of 5.8% per year, the population of Madeira has a negative internal growth rate of -0.2%.

Female Mediterranean monk seals typically reach sexual maturity at 3 years of age in Cabo Blanco, and between 6 and 7 years of age in Madeira, while males have been observed mating as early as 7. r. Monk Middle seals mate in the water. Pregnancy lasts 9-11 months and the female gives birth to a single cub.