The Department of Fisheries and the Press and Information Office created a television spot to raise awareness on the protected Mediterranean Monk Seal (monachus monachus).
The endangered seal is believed to be the world’s rarest out of 33 pinniped species.
Its global population is estimated at around 700 individuals, out of which 17-20 live in Cypriot waters, according to the Press and Information Office.
The Mediterranean Monk Seal prefers rocky shores and sea caves, where it finds isolation and quiet, especially during mating season, which begins in September and lasts until December. Then follows the lactation period, when mothers feed their pups for about 3-4 months.
The preservation of the species requires the preservation of land and sea, due to the need for terrestrial haul-out sites and caves or caverns for the animal to rest and reproduce.
