The monk seal: the last pinniped in the Mediterranean

The Mediterranean monk seal has a uniform brownish coloration with a large, irregular white patch on its belly. The pups are born black and only change their fur after several weeks. Once much more widespread throughout the Mediterranean, today its main area of presence is in the Aegean Sea and the eastern Mediterranean. It is also found along the coasts of Mauritania, the Canary Islands, the Black Sea, and Italy, though in no more than 5–20 locations. Today, sightings mostly involve solitary individuals, indicating that the species has experienced significant decline and local extinctions over recent decades. Along the Atlantic coast of Africa, it still maintains larger social groups, with up to 50–60 individuals. 

Sexual maturity is reached at about 4–5 years of age, when the seal mates for the first time, usually in summer or autumn. After an 11-month gestation, it gives birth to a single pup, usually near sandy or rocky shores. Births occur over a much longer period than in seals living in colder regions, from May to November, with a peak between September and October. The pup is nursed for 16–17 weeks, and only after weaning does it make its first entry into the water.