Once critically endangered, Mediterranean monk seals are making a remarkable comeback thanks to conservation efforts. The Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal (MOm) has played a key role in rescuing and rehabilitating orphaned and injured seals. Nearly half of the world’s estimated 800 Mediterranean monk seals live in Greek waters, where sea caves provide safe shelter for raising their young. One such rescue, a pup named Panagis, was found struggling in Cyprus and transported to Athens, where he gained strength before being released back into the wild.
The species once faced extinction due to habitat destruction and conflicts with fishermen, but conservation programs have helped their numbers grow. MOm has cared for around 40 seals, providing medical care and reintroducing them to the wild with minimal human contact. The success of these efforts has led to the species being reclassified from critically endangered to vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Recently, a rehabilitated seal was spotted nursing her own pup, proving that conservation efforts are securing the future of these rare marine mammals.