A rare Mediterranean monk seal was discovered dead washed up on the shores of Ma'agan Michael Beach, near Haifa, The Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA) announced Saturday.
Rotem Sadeh, a marine unit ranger from the INPA, and Moshe Zorea from Ma’agan Michael reported the carcass. Marine ecologists and researchers responded quickly. Upon arrival, the team identified the carcass as a Mediterranean monk seal, an endangered species. Dr. Elasar classified the animal as an adult female, possibly elderly, based on its worn teeth.
The seal measured approximately 2.2 meters in length. Prof. Giti Yahiel noted that barnacles on the body suggested it had been floating at sea "for at least several days, possibly even two weeks." Dr. Elasar added that only a DNA test could confirm with certainty whether the seal belonged to the Mediterranean monk seal species.
Ilya Baskin, a marine unit ranger from the INPA, assisted in transporting the animal to Ashdod for a post-mortem examination at the University of Haifa.
International conservation efforts
Dr. Elasar sent images of the seal to Italian researchers Dr. Luigi Bondone and Harris Nikolaou from the Cypriot Agriculture Ministry for consultation. Both have collaborated with Delphis since the launch of the Mediterranean monk seal restoration project in Israel in April 2023.
According to Delphis, the last confirmed sighting of a monk seal in Israel occurred in December 2024, when reservist soldiers reported one at the Rosh HaNikra caves. However, researchers were unable to determine whether it was the Mediterranean monk seal named Maya, which had been documented at the same location a month earlier.
Two days before that sighting, Dr. Elasar, who leads seal research in Israel, removed cameras installed in the Rosh HaNikra caves nearly a year earlier. As part of the Delphis project, work will soon begin at Rosh HaNikra to make the caves more accessible for seals.
When encountering a seal, the INPA and Delphis researchers ask the public to stay alert, keep their distance, take photos, report sightings to Delphis researchers at their website or by calling +972-50-322-5227, keep curious onlookers and dogs away if the seal is found on the beach, and avoid shining flashlights at the animals.