Mediterranean Monk Seal The Mediterranean Monk Seal was once found extensively throughout southern Europe and northern Africa but it is now one of the world's rarest seal species with an estimated 350-450 remaining individuals in the wild. Extensive commercial hunting from Roman times coupled with over-fishing and urbanisation have resulted in a dramatic reduction in this species number, making it a real possibility that it could go the same way as it's relative, the Caribbean Monk Seal - declared extinct in 2008. Hellio & Van Ingen have documented recent conservation efforts at one of the last remaining strongholds in Mauritania.
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