Distribution of the Monk Seal in the NW Mediterranean

The project would like to collect the information on the current distribution of the Mediterranean Monk Seal in the NW Mediterranean Sea. There are three main objectives:
1- improving the understanding of the current distribution of the endangered Mediterranean Monk Seal
(Monachus monachus);
2- improve the citizen science capacity for assisting in the samlings in specific areas, and
3- improve the awareness in the public at large about the conservation needs of the Mediterranean monk
seal.
The Mediterranean monk seal is classified as “endangered” by the IUCN, it is considered the rarest pinniped
on earth and it is among the Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered mammals (EDGE). Its habitat is
mainly marine, but also terrestrial as seals give birth and breastfeed on land. Coastal areas are, indeed, of
particular conservation importance because of the presence of marine caves where monk seals give birth and
because of the frequent interactions with human activity.
One of the main issues for the Mediterranean monk seal conservation is the unknown distribution, in
particular in the central Mediterranean area, where no monitoring programs have been conducted so far, but
sightings of both adults and juveniles are increasing, suggesting the recolonisation of historical areas. The
species distribution is essential in setting conservation priorities. The main threats to the species are poaching, negative interactions with humans, and habitat fragmentation or destruction.
Our reserch addresses the conservation problem by investigating the current distribution with non-invasive
eDNA monitoring in understudied areas, educating and involving people to promote acceptance and
coexistence, and assessing the areas where further conservation measures and monitoring are needed.
Monitoring is carried out through an innovative and non-invasive method: the environmental DNA,
successfully applied in the study of the distribution of monk seals as part of the “Spot The Monk” project of the
Bicocca University in Milan (Italy). Every living being leaves traces of DNA in the environment in which it
lives. By taking water samples and filtering them, we can trace the presence of the species in the area
surrounding the sample using a species-specific qPCR test in the laboratory of the Bicocca University in Milan.
The application of eDNA in Mediterranean monk seal monitoring was started three years ago through the
collaboration between the University Bicocca and Gruppo Foca Monaca APS and was applied with success by Prof. Valsecchi et al. (2022).
The research area will include:
a) The Pelagos Sanctuary, an important area for marine mammals, located between Italy, France and Monaco.
It includes the Tuscan archipelago, where several sightings occurred in recent years, while few sightings were
made in the MPA of Portofino.
b) the NW Mediterranean Sea.