Pregnant monk seal found dead in Lebanon

The death of a pregnant Mediterranean monk seal has been reported in Beirut near the “Cave of seals” at Raouche Beach. The discovery is thought to have taken place last week, on 31 March 2015. A locally performed necropsy did not reveal any signs of foul play, though it is not yet known how comprehensive the procedure was.

Despite being considered extinct in Lebanon since the 1950s, rare sporadic sightings in more recent years have raised hopes of the monk seal’s return.

Further information is available on Lebanon’s Green Area website.

Seal sightings in Lebanon

Simon Nadim, Managing Director of the Pure Tech Diving Facility in Batroun, Lebanon, has contacted TMG to report two separate sightings of a Mediterranean monk seal, on the 15.08.2010 and 04.09.2010 respectively.

The encounters both occurred whilst diving amongst caves in northern Lebanon and were recorded on video. The animal is reported to be at least 2m in length, and is evidently in good condition.

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