Endangered seal spotted for first time on Israel beach

Tel Aviv: A rare Mediterranean monk seal was spotted on an Israeli beach, the first time the endangered mammal has made land in Israel.

“This is the first sighting of its kind in Israel, a very rare and exciting event, and it is a marine mammal in danger of extinction that is important to protect and that is why we are here,” said Bar Molot, a volunteer from the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, who is helping guard the seal.

The Authority said the seal is a female, appears to be 3-5 years old



and is not in any distress. The Authority added that the seal has been named Julia by a boy named Muhammed who helped protect the seal after it was first found.

Dr Mia Elser, of the Delphis Association, an Ashdod-based organization that researches and protects marine mammals, said the Mediterranean monk seal is one of the world’s 12 rarest mammals. Around 700 are believed to exist, the majority of which live on the coasts of Greece, Turkey and Cyprus. Others live off the coast of Western Sahara and Mauritania,