Newsletter

If this newsletter doesn't appear correctly, please click here

Rehabilitation Program: Two new pups were succesfully released!

2019 brought not one, but two residents of MOm's First Aid Station in Spata, Attica. Two newborn pups, Lena from Argolis and Nicole from Northern Evia, were found alone and separated from their mothers and required our care. After almost 4 months in our rehabilitation unit, getting older and bigger while supporting each other, they were released healthy back to the deep blue waters of the Cyclades. We wish them happy travels!!!

You can watch their release video here!

The project is supported by the Attica Zoological Park and the Fondation Segré.

A very important collaboration of MOm and the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment is steadily moving forward in practical issues now related to the effective management of the mediterranean monk seal along the coasts of Cyprus. In the framework of this collaboration, Cypriot scientists and members of the Ministry visited Greece, in order to gain further knowledge and experience in the scientific monitoring of the species and how to provide first aid and rescue animals in danger. The visit of the Cypriot scientists was materialized in the framework of the project titled "Monk Seal Conservation in the Eastern Mediterranean", which is supported by IUCN Med and is funded by the MAVA Foundation.

Aiming to exchange know-how related to scientific monitoring and recording of the Mediterranean monk seal from Greece to Albania, Montenegro and Croatia, MOm continues its actions for the "Eastern Adriatic Monk Seal Project", which is funded by the Euronatur Foundation. MOm's biologists travelled to the aforementioned countries of the Adriatic and guided the pilot recording of suitable marine caves for the monk seal. At the same time, MOm's main information material was printed, translated in the languages of these 3 countries so that it can be used in information campaigns there. You can visit the project's website here.

MOm, in cooperation with the Management body of the NMPANS, the Port Authority and the funding of the Thalassa Foundation, coordinated the guarding of the National Marine Park of Alonissos Northern Sporades for yet another year. For the efficient protection of the area's biodiversity, a combination of marine patrols and autonomous remote cameras in the Park

s core was used. The experience gathered was integrated into a Guarding Manual, useful for the monitoring of all Marine Protected Areas of the country.

MOm's Research team started the recording of reproduction refuges (suitable marine caves) for the Mediterranean monk seal in Crete. The research started on the east coast and is expected to finish within 2020. The north-eastern coasts were pleasantly surprising, as a newborn pup was recorded with its mother on an open beach. The action will continue in areas of the Dodecanese that haven't been researched yet, as part of a project for the mapping of all important areas for the Mediterranean monk seal in the country, a significant effort taken up by MOm, supported by many international institutions and funded by the Thalassa Foundation.

Aiming to apply actions of conservation and restoration in important habitats and species in the NATURA 2000 regions of Andros, MOm is participating in this European project which is coordinated by the Agricultural University of Athens. MOm's objective is to record the local mediterranean monk seal population, the pressure it is under and the application of proper protection measures. Before that, MOm's Research Team, in collaboration with CBD-Habitat from Spain, installed a system of automatic infrared cameras in selected refuges in Andros, Tinos and Gyaros, as well as record the use of these refuges by the species and the number of births in the area.
At the same time, MOm implemented a Marine Mammal Rescue seminar to citizens of Andors. The goal is to repeat the same seminar in Tinos and Syros soon. The project is expected to end in 2021. For more information on the project's actions, please click here

We started a new initiative in Cyclades with the support of the Cyclades Preservation Fund. It is the first systematic recording of the presence of dolphins in the area of Cyclades. Indeed, while we have acquired a significant amount of information and data for the mediterranean monk seal, cetaceans in the area have not properly been stuidied. The first goal is to track the distribution and presence of animals with the aid of civilians and professionals in the sea (fishermen, sailors, marine tourism), who have already started to share their observations with us. Next, we will complete the picture with aerial recordings above Cyclades, with the help of the AEGEAN WINGS organization. The goal of the project is to use the information acquired for the better protection of these wonderful creatures.

MOm's Rescue and Information Network has been continuing its 30 year operation by contributing both to the immediate response and rescue of seal in need and to the monitoring of the monk seal population status on a national level. From January to December 2019, the Network received 219 reports of monk seal sightings in Greece. Of them, 189 were regarding live animals and 30 dead. 40 reports were about newborn pups.
Of the 30 dead animals, the cause of death was determined in 7, of which 3 died of natural causes, 1 was a victim of entaglement in nets and 3 were killed. A total of 38 genetic samples were collected from 16 animals and stored in MOm's Sample Bank for future analysis. This action is funded by the Aquario di Genova, Club Med, APAB LIMITED and the European Association of Aquatic Mammals (EAAM).

The project ran for a total of 53 days and covered 1250 km. 42 individuals attended the project and contributed to the recording of 80 common dolphins (15 individuals identified), 30 bottlenose dolphins (16 individuals identified) and 130 striped dolphins (80 individuals identified).

MOm, in cooperation with the Institute of Fisheries Research, ran the first national scientific study for the monk seal-fisheries interaction. Based on the results of the research published in the renowned scientific publication Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, specific suggestions towards European and national authorities were formed. It is the first time that the way towards the compensation of fishermen for the damages to their equipment and loss of income by marine mammals is open - a very important measure in a really hard financial period for them.

International Conference of Zoogegraphy and Ecology of Greece and Neighboring Areas

MOm' Scientific Team participated in the 14th International Conference for Zoogeography and Ecology in Greece and Neighboring Areas, held in Thessaloniki in June 2019 with three presentations:

1. Dendrinos P, Adamantopoulou S, Karamanlidis AA, Koemtzopoulos K, Tounta E. 2019. Mediterranean monk seal pupping habitat availability and suitability in the Peloponnese and adjacent regions. 14th ICZEGAR, 27-30 June 2019. 41.

2. Komnenou A, Adamantopoulou S, Dendrinos P, Karamanlidis AA, Koemtzopoulos K, Vogiatzis N, Kofidou E, Tounta E. 2019. Meeting the challenges of rehabilitating orphan Mediterranean monk seas pups in Greece. 14th ICZEGAR, 27-30 June 2019. 85.

3. Koemtzopoulos K, Pardalou A, Bearzi G, Bonizzoni S, Dendrinos P. 2019. Summer occurrence of cetaceans in the National Marine Park of Alonissos, Northern Sporades, Greece. 14th ICZEGAR, 27-30 June 2019. 81.

World Marine Mammal Conference

MOm's Scientific Team participated in the World Marine Mammal Conference which took place in Barcelona in December 2019. The team participated in the specialized workshop: "Rare Pinniped Conservation Network" and made three presentations:
1.   Video night: Growing up with two mothers. WMMC, Barcelona 9-12/12/2019
2.   Kimon Koemtzopoulos, Giovanni Bearzi, Silvia Bonizzoni, Panagiotis Dendrinos. Mixed-species groups of common dolphins and bottlenose dolphins in the Alonissos National Park, Greece, WMMC, Barcelona 9-12/12/2019
3.   Panagiotis Dendrinos, Styliani Adamantopoulou, Kimon Koemtzopoulos, Eleni Tounta, Alexandros Karamanlidis: Identifying the northwestern most reproductive site of the endangered Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea). WMMC, Barcelona 9-12/12/2019.

Furthermore, MOm presented its actions through the operation of a information kiosk in collaboration with the Thalassa Foundation.

Two more science papers (we finally reached 50 in total) were published by MOm's researchers. The first is in regards to the negative interactions between seals and coastal fishermen and the second was in collaboration with researchers from Cyprus' Ministry of Environment, describing the impressive and hopeful return of the Mediterranean monk seal in the seas of Cyprus.

Karamanlidis AA, Adamantopoulou S, Kallianiotis A, Tounta E, Dendrinos P.

An interview-based approach to assess seal – small-scale fishery interactions informs the conservation strategy of the endangered Mediterranean monk seal. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. 2020: 1–9.

Nicolaou H, Dendrinos P, Marcou M, Michaelides S, Karamanlidis AA.

Unsubscribe from mailing list

Αυτό το e-mail δεν μπορεί να θεωρηθεί spam εφόσον αναγράφονται τα στοιχεία του αποστολέα και οι διαδικασίες διαγραφής από τη λίστα παραληπτών. Αν είσαστε σε αυτή τη λίστα κατά λάθος ή για οποιονδήποτε άλλο λόγο θέλετε να διαγραφείτε, κάντε κλικ εδώ. Αυτό το μήνυμα πληροί τις προϋποθέσεις της Ευρωπαϊκής νομοθεσίας περί διαφημιστικών μηνυμάτων: «Κάθε μήνυμα θα πρέπει να φέρει τα πλήρη στοιχεία του αποστολέα ευκρινώς και θα πρέπει να δίνει στον δέκτη τη δυνατότητα διαγραφής. Directiva2002/58/EC του Ευρωπαϊκού Κοινοβουλίου, Relative as A5-270/2001 του Ευρωπαϊκού Κοινοβουλίου».