It's been discovered that the world's rarest seal(稀有海豹) uses hidden caves on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus to breed(繁殖) out of sight from humans. Scientists say the caves should now be protected to help the rare Mediterranean monk seals.
Researchers from the University of Exeter and the society for the Protection of Turtles (SPOT), set up cameras in eight caves in northern Cyprus to monitor the monk seal population.
The cameras are started by movement, so they start recording when something passes by. Between 2016 and 2019, the researchers found that three of the caves were used for breeding. One monk seal raised babies three years in a row in the same cave.
There are only around 700 Mediterranean monk seals left in the wild and the species is listed as endangered. In the past, they used beaches along the north coast of Cyprus to breed but human activities such as tourism have gradually forced them to move elsewhere. In 2007, a survey identified 39 possible breeding caves. It was only in 2013, however, that a young seal was spotted in the area around the caves. This confirmation that seals were breeding in the area inspired the team to set up their special cameras in 2016. Knowing about these breeding caves will help experts to track the seal population more accurately.
The researchers now want to give the seals in the area better protection. They're hoping to make arrangements with local fishermen who set their fishing nets near the caves, which not only takes food from the seals but also risks catching the animals by mistake. The scientists would also like to protect the caves themselves from any nearby building developments. "The main breeding site we identify in this study currently has no protected status, and we are working with local authorities to try to change this," said Dr. Robin Snape of the University of Exeter.
