Mediterranean Monk Seal
Also known as Monachus monachus
species of mammal
AI overview
The Mediterranean monk seal is a large marine mammal that lives in the Mediterranean Sea and nearby Atlantic waters. It matters because it is one of the world's rarest seals and is critically endangered, making its survival important for understanding and protecting ocean ecosystems.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Species
VulnerableMediterranean monk seal
Species
- PhylumChordata
- ClassMammalia
- OrderCarnivora
- FamilyPhocidae
Habitatmarine
via IUCN
Wikidata facts
- Image
- Billy monk seal 2.jpg
Sources (2)
via Wikidata · CC0
Article
The Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) is a monk seal belonging to the family Phocidae. As of 2015, it is estimated that fewer than 700 individuals survive in three or four isolated subpopulations in the Mediterranean, (especially) in the Aegean Sea, the archipelago of Madeira, and the Cabo Blanco area in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean spanning the border of Mauritania and southern Morocco. It is believed to be the world's rarest pinniped species. It is the only extant species in the genus Monachus, the other two monk seal species being in Neomonachus.
Description