A taxidermied Mediterranean Monk Seal in the Ernst Schmitz Collection, Paulus-Haus Museum, Jerusalem by Dr-Norman Khalaf

A taxidermied Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus, Hermann 1779) in the Ernst Schmitz Collection at the Paulus-Haus Museum – Deutscher Verein vom Heiligen Lande in Al-Quds (Jerusalem), Occupied Palestine By: Prof. Dr. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher KhalafSakerfalke von Jaffa I visited the Paulus-Haus Museum – Deutscher Verein vom Heiligen Lande in Al-Quds (Jerusalem), Occupied Palestine on Wednesday 23.07.2014. I saw the exhibited Ernst Schmitz collection of taxidermied animals including the Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus, Hermann 1779), the Indian Crested Porcupine (Hystrix indica Kerr, 1792) and the Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus Linnaeus, 1758).

Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-von Jaffa infront of the Paulus-Haus / Schmidt-Schule / Deutscher Verein vom Heiligen Lande in the old city of Al-Quds (Jerusalem), Occupied Palestine on 23.07.2014. https://www.flickr.com/photos/50022881@N00/15324697336/ The Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus Hermann, 1779) is a pinniped belonging to the Phocidae family. At some 450–510 (fewer than 600) remaining individuals, it is believed to be the world's rarest pinniped species, and one of the most endangered mammals in the world (Wikipedia). It is present in parts of the Mediterranean Sea as well as eastern Atlantic Ocean waters around the Tropic of Cancer (Wikipedia).

Taxonomy Scientific name: Monachus monachus Hermann, 1779. Common names: Arab.: Fuqma, Faqma, ‫ ; فقمة الراهب ال ُمتوسطية‬Engl.: Mediterranean Monk Seal; Russ.: Tyulen'; Turk.: Akdeniz foku; Ger.: Mittelmeer-Mönchsrobbe. Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Suborder: Pinnipedia Family: Phocidae Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 133 – January 2016

Subfamily: Monachinae Genus: Monachus Species: Monachus monachus Hermann, 1779

Physical Appearance This species of monk seal grows from approximately 80 cm long at birth up to an average of 2.4 m (7.95 feet) as adults. Males weigh an average of 315 kg (695 lbs) and females weigh 300 kg (660 lbs), overall weigh ranging from 240 to 400 kg (530–880 lbs). They are thought to live up to 45 years old; the average life span is thought to be 20 to 25 years old and reproductive maturity is reached at around age four (Wikipedia). The monk seals' pups are about a meter long and weigh around 15–18 kilograms, their skin being covered by 1–1.5 centimeter-long, dark brown to black hair. On their bellies, there is a white stripe, which differs in color between the two sexes. This hair is replaced after six to eight weeks by the usual short hair adults carry (Wikipedia). Pregnant Mediterranean monk seals typically use inaccessible undersea caves while giving birth, though historical descriptions show they used open beaches until the 18th century. There are eight pairs of teeth in both jaws (Wikipedia). Believed to have the shortest hair of any pinniped, the Mediterranean monk seal fur is black (males) or brown to dark grey (females), with a paler belly, which is close to white in males. The snout is short broad and flat, with very pronounced, long nostrils that face upward, unlike their Hawaiian relative, which tend to have more forward nostrils. The flippers are relatively short, with small slender claws. Monk seals have two pairs of retractable abdominal teats, unlike most other pinnipeds (Wikipedia).

Reproduction Very little is known of the monk seal's reproduction. Scientists have suggested that they are polygynous, with males being very territorial where they mate with females. Although there is no breeding season, since births take place year round, there is a peak in October and November. This is also the time when caves are prone to wash out due to high surf or storm surge, which causes high mortality rates among monk seal pups, especially at the key Cabo Blanco colony. According to the IUCN species factsheet, "pup survival is low; just under 50% survive their first two months to the onset of their moult, and most mortalities occurred in the first two weeks. Survival of pups born from September to January is 29%. This very low survival rate is associated with mortality caused by severe storms, and high swells and tides, but impoverished genetic variability and inbreeding may also be involved. Pups born during the rest of the year had a survival rate of 71%" (Wikipedia). Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 133 – January 2016

The taxidermied Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus, Hermann 1779) at the Paulus-Haus Museum – Deutscher Verein vom Heiligen Lande in Al-Quds (Jerusalem), Occupied Palestine. Photo: Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-von Jaffa. 23.07.2014. https://www.flickr.com/photos/50022881@N00/15401818242/ In 2008, lactation was reported in an open beach, the first such record since 1945, which could suggest the seal could begin feeling increasingly safe to return to open beaches for breeding purposes in Cabo Blanco (Wikipedia). Pups make first contact with the water two weeks after their birth, and are weaned at around 18 weeks of age; females caring for pups will go off to feed for an average of nine hours. Most individuals are believed to reach maturity at four years of age. The gestation period lasts close to a year. However, it is believed to be common among monk seals of the Cabo Blanco colony to have a gestation period lasting slightly longer than a year (Wikipedia).

Diet Mediterranean monk seals are diurnal and feed on a variety of fish and mollusks, primarily octopus, squid, and eels, up to 3 kg per day. They are known to forage mostly at depths of 150–230 feet, but some have been observed by the NOAA in a submersible at a known feeding ground at a depth of 500 feet. Monk seals prefer Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 133 – January 2016

hunting in wide-open spaces, enabling them to use their speed more effectively. They are successful bottom-feeding hunters; some have even been observed lifting slabs of rock in search of prey (Wikipedia).

Habitat The habitat of this pinniped has changed over the years. In ancient times, and up until the 20th century, Mediterranean monk seals had been known to congregate, give birth, and seek refuge on open beaches. In more recent times, they have left their former habitat and now only use sea caves for such things; and more often than not, these caves are rather inaccessible to humans due to underwater entries, and because the caves are often positioned along remote or rugged coastlines (Wikipedia). Scientists have confirmed this is a recent adaptation, most likely due to the rapid increase in human population, tourism, and industry, which have caused the Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 133 – January 2016

destruction of animals' habitat. Because of these seals' shy nature and sensitivity to human disturbance, they have slowly adapted to try to avoid contact with humans completely within the last century, and, perhaps, even earlier. The coastal caves are, however, dangerous for newborns, and are causes of major mortality among pups (Wikipedia).

Status This earless seal's former range extended throughout the Northwest Atlantic Africa, Mediterranean and Black Sea, coastlines, including all offshore islands of the Mediterranean, and into the Atlantic and its islands: Canary, Madeira, Ilhas Desertas, Porto Santo... as far west as the Azores. Vagrants could be found as far south as Gambia and the Cape Verde islands, and as far north as continental Portugal and Atlantic France (Wikipedia). Several causes have provoked a dramatic population decrease over time: on one hand, commercial hunting (especially during the Roman Empire and Middle Ages) and, during the 20th century, eradication by fishermen, who used to consider it a pest due to the damage the seal causes to fishing nets when it preys on fish caught in them; and, on the other hand, coastal urbanization and pollution (Wikipedia). The species has gone extinct in the Sea of Marmara due to pollution and heavy ship traffic from the Dardanelles and the Bosporus. In addition, the last report of a seal in the Black Sea dates to the late 1990s (Wikipedia). Nowadays, its entire population is estimated to be less than 600 individuals scattered throughout a wide distribution range, which qualifies this species as Critically Endangered. Its current very sparse population is one more serious threat to the species, as it only has two key sites that can be deemed viable. One is the Aegean Sea (250–300 in Greece and some 100 in Turkey) and the other is the Western Saharan portion of Cabo Blanco (around 200 individuals which may support the small, but growing, nucleus in the Desertas Islands – approximately 20 individuals). There may be some individuals using coastal areas among other parts of Western Sahara, such as in Cintra Bay (Wikipedia). These two key sites are virtually in the extreme opposites of the species' distribution range, which makes natural population interchange between them impossible. All the other remaining subpopulations are composed of less than 50 mature individuals, many of them being only loose groups of extremely reduced size – often less than five individuals (Wikipedia). These other remaining populations are in Madeira and the Desertas Islands (both in the Atlantic Ocean) with a total of 30 to 35 individuals, and southwestern Turkey and the Ionian Sea (both in the eastern Mediterranean). The species status is virtually moribund in the western Mediterranean, which still holds tiny Moroccan and Algerian populations, associated with rare sightings of vagrants Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 133 – January 2016

in the Balearic Islands, Sardinia, and other western Mediterranean locations, including Gibraltar (Wikipedia). The last sightings of the Mediterranean Monk seal were made on May 2007 and on April 2010 in Sardinia, where a seal was even photographed, the increasing of the sightings in Sardinia, suggest that the seal has repopulated the Central eastern Sardinian coasts, preserved since 1998 by the National Park of Golfo of Orosei (Wikipedia).

Cabo Blanco 1997 die off Cabo Blanco, in the Atlantic Ocean, is the largest surviving single population of the species, and the only remaining site that still seems to preserve a colony structure. In the summer of 1997, two-thirds of its seal population was wiped out within two months, extremely compromising the species' viable population. While opinions on the precise causes of this epidemic remain divided (the most Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 133 – January 2016

likely cause being a morbilivirusor, more likely, a toxic algae bloom,) the mass die-off emphasized the precarious status of a species already regarded as critically endangered throughout its range (Wikipedia). While still far below the early 1997 count, numbers in this all-important location have started a slow-paced recovery ever since. Currently, the population in this location is estimated at 200 individuals, down from some 310 in 1997, but still the largest single colony by far. The threat of a similar incident, which could wipe out the entire population, remains (Wikipedia).

Preservation Damage inflicted on fishermen's nets and rare attacks on off-shore fish farms in Turkey and Greece are known to have pushed local people towards hunting the Mediterranean monk seal, but mostly out of revenge, rather than population control. Preservation efforts have been put forth by civic organizations, foundations, and universities in both countries since as early as the 1970s. For the past 10 years, many groups have carried out missions to educate locals on damage control and species preservation. Reports of positive results of such efforts exist throughout the area (Wikipedia). In the Aegean Sea, Greece has allocated a large area for the preservation of the Mediterranean monk seal and its habitat. The Greek Alonissos Marine Park, that extends around the Northern Sporades islands, is the main action ground of the Greek MOm organisation. MOm is greatly involved in raising awareness in the general public, fundraising for the helping of the monk seal preservation cause, in Greece and wherever needed. Greece is currently investigating the possibility of declaring another monk seal breeding site as a national park, and also has integrated some sites in the NATURA 2000 protection scheme. The legislation in Greece is very strict towards seal hunting, and in general, the public is very much aware and supportive of the effort for the preservation of the Mediterranean monk seal (Wikipedia). The complex politics concerning the covert opposition of the Greek government towards the protection to the monk seals in the eastern Aegean in the late 1970s is described in a book by William Johnson. Oil companies apparently may have been using the Monk Seal Sanctuary project as a stalking horse to encourage greater cooperation between the Greek and Turkish governments as a preliminary to pushing for oil extraction rights in a geopolitically unstable area. According to Johnson, the Greek secret service, the YPEA, were against such moves and sabotaged the project to the detriment of both the seals and conservationists, who, unaware of such covert motivations, sought only to protect the species and its habitat (Wikipedia). One of the largest groups among the foundations concentrating their efforts towards the preservation of the Mediterranean monk seal is the Mediterranean Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Number 133 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; January 2016

Seal Research Group (Turkish: Akdeniz Foklarını Araştırma Grubu) operating under the Underwater Research Foundation (Turkish: Sualtı Araştırmaları Derneği) in Turkey (also known as SAD-AFAG). The group has taken initiative in joint preservation efforts together with the Foça municipal officials, as well as phone, fax, and email hotlines for sightings (Wikipedia). Preservation of the species requires both the preservation of land and sea, due to the need for terrestrial haul-out sites and caves or caverns for the animal to rest and reproduce. Even though responsible scuba diving instructors hesitate to make trips to known seal caves, the rumor of a seal sighting quickly becomes a tourist attraction for many. Irresponsible scuba diving trips scare the seals away from caves which could become habitation for the species (Wikipedia).

The hind flippers of the Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus, Hermann 1779) at the Paulus-Haus Museum – Deutscher Verein vom Heiligen Lande in Al-Quds (Jerusalem), Occupied Palestine. Photo: Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Khalaf-von Jaffa. 23.07.2014. https://www.flickr.com/photos/50022881@N00/15379336286/

Conservation Under the auspices of the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), also known as the Bonn Convention, the Memorandum of Understanding Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 133 – January 2016

(MoU) concerning Conservation Measures for the Eastern Atlantic Populations of the Mediterranean Monk Seal was concluded and came into effect on 18 October 2007. The MoU covers four range States (Mauritania, Morocco, Portugal and Spain), all of which have signed, and aims at providing a legal and institutional framework for the implementation of the Action Plan for the Recovery of the Mediterranean Monk Seal in the Eastern Atlantic (Wikipedia).

Sightings In June 2009, there was a report of a sighting off the island of Giglio, in Italy (Wikipedia). On 7 January 2010, fishermen spotted an injured Mediterranean monk seal off the coasts of Jaffa-Tel Aviv, Occupied Palestine. When zoo veterinarians arrived to help the seal, it had slipped back into the waters. Members of the Israel Marine Mammal Research and Assistance Center arrived at the scene and tried to locate the injured mammal, but with no success. This was the first sighting of the species in the region since Lebanese authorities claimed to have found a population of 10–20 other seals on their coasts 70 years earlier. In addition, the seal was also sighted a couple of weeks later in Ras Al-Naqura, North of Occupied Palestine, at the northern kibbutz of Rosh Hanikra (Ras Al-Naqura). In April 2010, there was a report of a sighting off the island of Marettimo, in the Egadi Islands off the coast of Italy, in Trapani Province (Wikipedia). In November 2010, a Mediterranean monk seal, supposedly aged between 10 and 20, had been spotted in Bodrum, Turkey (Wikipedia). On 31 December 2010, the BBC Earth news reported that the MOm Hellenic Society had located a new colony of seals on a remote beach in the Aegean Sea. The exact location was not communicated so as to keep the site protected. The society was appealing to the Greek government to integrate the part of the island on which the seals live into a marine protected area (Wikipedia). On 8 March 2011, the BBC Earth news reported that a pup seal had been spotted on 7 February while monitoring a seal colony on an island in the southwestern Aegean Sea. Soon after, it showed signs of weakness and it was taken to a rehabilitation centre to try to save it. The aim is to release it back into the wild as soon as it is strong enough (Wikipedia). On 24 June 2011, the Blue World Institute of Croatia filmed an adult female underwater in the northern Adriatic, off the island of Cres and a specimen of unverified sex on 29 June 2012. On 2 May 2013 a specimen was seen on the southernmost point of Istrian peninsula near the town of Pula. On 9 September 2013, in Pula a male specimen swam to a busy beach and entertained numerous tourists for five minutes before swimming back to the open sea. In summer 2014 sightings in Pula have occurred almost daily and Monk seal stayed multiple times on crowded city beaches, sleeping calm for hours just few meters away Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 133 – January 2016

from humans. To prevent accidents and preserve Monk seal, local city council acquired special educational boards and installed on city beaches. Despite clear instructions, an incident occurred with a tourist harassing a seal. The whole event was filmed. Less than a month later on August 25, 2014 this female Monk seal was found dead in the Mrtvi Puć bay near Šišan, Croatia. Experts said it was natural death caused by her old age (Wikipedia). In 2012, a Mediterranean Monk Seal was spotted in Gibraltar on the jetty of the private boat owners club at Coaling Island. The specimen was very likely a seal that must have swam far out of its comfort zone and found itself in Gibraltar (Wikipedia). Recently, in the week of 22–28 April 2013, what is believed to have been a monk seal was viewed in Tyre, southern Lebanon; photographs have been reported among many local media (Wikipedia). A study by the Italian Ministry of the Environment in 2013 confirmed the presence of monk seals in marine protected area in the Egadi Islands (Wikipedia). In September and October 2013, there were a number of sightings of an adult pair in waters around RAF Akrotiri in British Sovereign Base waters in Cyprus (Wikipedia).

The Lebanese Seal in Tyre (Sour), Southern Lebanon in April 2013. http://www.spnl.org/arabic/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/223981-01-08.jpg Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 133 – January 2016

The Distribution of the Mediterranean Monk Seal. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_monk_seal#mediaviewer/File:Monachus_m onachus_distribution.png

Confusion over Palestinian stranding Debate – and lingering confusion – continues amongst scientists regarding the identity of a seal washed ashore on “Dolphinarium Beach” in Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Occupied Palestine, on 27 January 2004 (The Monachus Guardian, 2004; Khalafvon Jaffa, 2009, 2013). According to an announcement by Dan Kerem and Oz Goffman of IMMRAC (Israel Marine Mammal Research & Assistance Center), the decaying body was discovered partly buried on the beach. It was subsequently moved to the Maritime School in Mikhmoret for further inspection (The Monachus Guardian, 2004; Khalaf-von Jaffa, 2009, 2013). Kerem and Goffman reported that “the body was recognized as that of a seal, most likely a female, but was already in an advanced state of decomposition and disintegration. The caudal remains were no more than the skin of the belly, to which were attached the tail and remnants of the hind flippers. By a process of elimination, we believe that the body is that of a Mediterranean Monk seal (Monachus monachus), although the lack of the nose, vibrissae, front of the upper jaw and ilea, as well as a worn out, faded and peeling fur, have prevented us from making a definite identification” (The Monachus Guardian, 2004; Khalafvon Jaffa, 2009, 2013). Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 133 – January 2016

“As best we could judge,” they continued, “the body length (tip of snout to tip of tail) was ca. 120 cm, which if indeed a monk seal, would make the individual a few months old pup. On the one hand, this finding is exciting, considering that the last time a monk seal pup was observed in this area was in the mid 1930‟s. On the other hand, it is obvious that there are no active breeding caves anywhere near the beaching point. The decomposed state of the body, the low water temperature and the rough winter storms support the assumption that the body may have drifted a long distance” (The Monachus Guardian, 2004; Khalaf-von Jaffa, 2009, 2013). The authors went on to postulate that the animal – if indeed it was a monk seal – may have drifted towards Palestine from the Cilician Basin in Turkey, Cyprus or even Cyrenaica in Libya (The Monachus Guardian, 2004; Khalaf-von Jaffa, 2009, 2013).

Following preliminary examination of the photographic evidence, other experts also voiced the opinion that the dead animal was almost certainly a monk seal. According to others, however, the seal‟s anatomical remains invited a different conclusion. Faxed drawings of the skull, compared with specimens held in the Zoological Museum in Cambridge in the UK, led Prof. Yoram Yom-Tov of Tel Aviv University to voice his opinion that the animal was not a monk but a young Caspian seal (Pusa [Phoca] caspica Gmelin, 1788) (The Monachus Guardian, 2004; Khalaf-von Jaffa, 2009, 2013). “I have no idea where it came from,” he admitted, “and can only guess that it was discarded by some zoo. However, as far as I know there were (and are) no Caspian seals in Israeli zoos, so it must have come from another country” (The Monachus Guardian, 2004; Khalaf-von Jaffa, 2009, 2013). Other experts have meanwhile reiterated their faith in the monk seal hypothesis. A DNA analysis has yet to be conducted (The Monachus Guardian, 2004; Khalafvon Jaffa, 2009, 2013).

Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-von Jaffa with the taxidermied Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus, Hermann 1779) at the Paulus-Haus Museum – Deutscher Verein vom Heiligen Lande in Al-Quds (Jerusalem), Occupied Palestine. Selfie-Photo: Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Khalaf-von Jaffa. 23.07.2014. https://www.flickr.com/photos/50022881@N00/15400582441/ Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 133 – January 2016

History and Exploitation In ancient Greece, Nature was safeguarded by deep religious faith, not legislation. Earth was venerated as the „oldest of the gods‟, Gaia, the mother of all. Monk seals were placed under the protection of Poseidon and Apollo because they showed a great love for sea and sun, and the killing of a seal or dolphin was often regarded as a sacrilege. One of the first coins, minted around 500 BC, depicted the head of a monk seal, and the creatures were immortalized in the writings of Homer, Plutarch and Aristotle. To fishermen and seafarers, catching sight of the animals frolicking in the waves or loafing on the beaches was considered to be an omen of good fortune (Johnson, 1988; Khalaf-von Jaffa, 2009, 2013). For the following two thousand years the monk seal had the protection of no god or human law. The seals lived in large herds, throughout the Mediterranean, the Marmara and Black seas, as well as the north-west Atlantic coast of Africa. From prehistoric times until the early 19th century, humans hunted seals for the basic necessities of their own survival – fur, oil and meat – but did not kill them in large enough numbers to endanger their existence as a species. The pelts were used to make boats and tents and were said to give protection against Nature‟s more hostile elements, especially lightning. The skins were also made into shoes and clothing, and the fat used for oil lamps and tallow candles, and the fat was also used to treat wounds and contusions in both humans and domestic animals. Because the animal was known to sleep so soundly, the right flipper of a seal, placed under the pillow, was thought to cure insomnia (Johnson, 1988; Khalafvon Jaffa, 2009, 2013). Evidence suggests that the species was severely depleted during the Roman era. Following the fall of the empire, a reduction in demand may have allowed the monk seal to stage a temporary recovery, but not to earlier population levels. Commercial exploitation peaked again in certain areas during the Middle Ages, effectively wiping out the largest surviving colonies. Increasingly, survivors no longer congregated on open beaches and headlong rocks, but sought refuge along inaccessible cliff-bound coasts and in caves (often with underwater entrances). By the 19th century, however, the seal slaughter had become a commercial enterprise verging on genocide, and numerous colonies were becoming extinct. Because of their trusting nature they were easy prey. Tens of thousands were bludgeoned to death, their skins put on sale in the fashionable capitals of Europe. Although hunting of the creatures on this scale rapidly became unfeasible, they never recovered. The massive disruption of two world wars, the industrial revolution, a boom in tourism and the onset of industrial fishing all contributed to the Mediterranean monk seal‟s decline. Their numbers may have been reduced by go per cent in the last seventy years and the species Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 133 – January 2016

will be virtually extinct by 2010 if nothing is done to save them (Johnson, 1988; Khalaf-von Jaffa, 2009, 2013). As the fishing grounds begin to collapse under fierce commercial competition, the seals are faced with a scarcity of food. The hungry animals then tear their way into fishing nets to obtain their meal. In this vicious circle, fishermen have come to regard the seal as an enemy which destroys their nets and steals their fish. Although the seals often get trapped in the nets and drown, the fishermen usually don‟t hesitate to kill the creature when the opportunity presents itself. Depressingly frequent reports have revealed that the seals are often the victims of deliberate cruelty, unjustly held responsible for a sea which is rapidly becoming exhausted by human greed. Kicked, stoned, shot and dynamited, this is the price that the monk seal has to pay for our own ecological ignorance (Johnson, 1988; Khalaf-von Jaffa, 2009, 2013). The centuries of persecution have also had a profound psychological effect upon the seals, and they are now literally terrified of human disturbance. Only in Mauritania have the seals managed to retain their frolicsome nature and their innocent curiosity towards the few human beings who venture into their peaceful refuge of sandy beaches and arching caves. Here, undisturbed, the seals have formed their largest colonies, numbering up to sixty individuals (Johnson, 1988; Khalaf-von Jaffa, 2009, 2013). Corsica‟s last pair of seals was killed by fishermen in 1976, just eight weeks before the inaugural ceremonies of a marine sanctuary designed to protect the animals. The last seals of greater France died on the Isles d‟Hyeres in 1935, and today the only trace of the monk seal is its depiction in the prehistoric cave paintings found in the Pyrenees. The seal became extinct in Palestine, Libya, Syria and Lebanon in the 1950s, helped on its way by war. Up to fifty seals may survive along the coasts of Algeria, in part because Moslem fishermen still believe the killing of the animals to be a sin. Further west, small groups of seals are still found along the shores of Morocco and the nearby Chafarinas Islands which belong to Spain. Of the Atlantic monk seals, which may differ genetically from their Mediterranean cousins, the wounded seal that was captured on one of the Lanzarote Islands in 1983 probably spelled the extinction of the species in the Canary Islands (Johnson, 1988; Khalaf-von Jaffa, 2009, 2013).

The Name The precise origins of the monk seal‟s name have long been lost to obscurity and the flow of time. In Greek mythology the seal was represented as the god Phokos, son of Poseidon. Several towns and villages were named after the seal god, and even today the Greek word for seal continues to be phokia. Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 133 – January 2016

Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Khalaf-von Jaffa is standing near the taxidermied animals at the Paulus-Haus Museum in Al-Quds (Jerusalem), Occupied Palestine. 23.07.2014. https://www.flickr.com/photos/50022881@N00/15403522112/ Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 133 – January 2016

Pliny the elder, ancient Rome‟s renowned scholar of natural history, knew the animals as sea-calves and remarked that they „could be taught to salute the public with their voice, and when called by name to reply with a harsh roar.‟ Rather more mystically, he added that at night „their eyes change frequently into a thousand colours‟ (Johnson, 1988; Khalaf-von Jaffa, 2009, 2013). But it was not until 1779 that the German naturalist Johann Hermann officially christened the species Monachus. The choice may have been inspired by Hermann‟s belief in the animal‟s innate reclusiveness following his discovery of a lone seal on the Dalmatian coast. On the other hand, some naturalists believe that Hermann merely adopted a traditional name for the seal from certain local fishing communities on the shores of the Mediterranean which knew the creature as „monk‟ because of the colour of its fur. Indeed, many centuries earlier, Pliny too thought that the rows of seals he observed stretched out on the sands bore a striking resemblance to a congregation of hooded humans. Sometimes, the darker fur around the head of the seal lends weight to this impression (Johnson, 1988; Khalaf-von Jaffa, 2009, 2013).

Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 133 – January 2016

References and Internet Websites : Androukaki, E.; S. Adamantopoulou, P. Dendrinos, E. Tounta and S. Kotomatas (1999). Causes of Mortality in the Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus) in Greece. Contributions to the Zoology & Ecology of the Eastern Mediterranean Region 1 (1999): 405-411. Animal Info - Mediterranean Monk Seal. http://www.animalinfo.org/species/carnivor/monamona.htm Arkive (2006). http://www.arkive.org/ Bininda-Emonds, Olaf R.P. and A.P. Russell (1996). A morphological perspective on the phylogenetic relationships of the extant phocid seals (Mammalia: Carnivora: Phocidae). In: Bonner zoologische Monographien 1996, Bd. 4. Bonner, Nigel (1994). Seals and Sea Lions of the World. Facts on File, 1994. ISBN 0816029555. Güçlüsoy, Harun and Yalçın Savaş (2003). Status of the Mediterranean Monk Seal, Monachus monachus, in the Foça Pilot Monk Seal Conservation Area, Turkey. Zoology in the Middle East 28, 2003: 5-16. http://www.kasparekverlag.de/ZME-Abstracts28.htm Israëls, L.D.E. (1992). Thirty years of Mediterranean monk seal protection – a review. Mededelingen 28: 1-65. Johnson, William M. (1988). The Monk Seal Conspiracy. 3. Oracle of a Dying Sea. http://www.iridescent-publishing.com/msc/msc03.htm Johnson, William M. (Ed.) (1998-2006). The Monachus Guardian. Current and back issues of the Internal journal dedicated to monk seals and their threatened habitats. http://www.monachus-guardian.org/ Johnson, W.M. (2004). Monk seals in post-classical history. The role of the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) in European history and culture, from the fall of Rome to the 20th century. Mededelingen 39. Netherlands Commission for International Nature Protection, Leiden: 1-91, 31 figs. Johnson, William M. (2005). In echoes of the past, the sound of the present. The Monachus Guardian 8(1): May 2005. http://www.iridescentpublishing.com/ms_ant/ms_ant_auth.htm Johnson, William M.; Alexandros A. Karamanlidis, Panagiotis Dendrinos, Pablo Fernández de Larrinoa, Manel Gazo, Luis Mariano González, Harun Güçlüsoy, Rosa Pires, Matthias Schnellmann. Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus). http://www.monachus-guardian.org/factfiles/medit01.htm Johnson, William M.; Alexandros A. Karamanlidis, Panagiotis Dendrinos, Pablo Fernández de Larrinoa, Manel Gazo, Luis Mariano González, Harun Güçlüsoy, Rosa Pires, Matthias Schnellmann. Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus). Israel Marine Mammal Research & Assistance Center. http://immrac.haifa.ac.il/english/introduction.html Johnson, W.M. and D.M. Lavigne (1998). The Mediterranean Monk Seal. Conservation Guidelines. Multilingual Edition. International Marine Mammal Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 133 – January 2016

Association Inc., Guelph, Ontario, Canada: 1-152. Johnson, W.M. and D.M. Lavigne (1999). Monk seals in antiquity. The Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) in ancient history and literature. Mededelingen 35: 1-101. The Netherlands Commission for International Nature Protection, Leiden: 1- 101, 17 figs. Johnson, William M. and David M. Lavigne (1999). Mass tourism and the Mediterranean monk seal. The role of mass tourism in the decline and possible future extinction of Europe's most endangered marine mammal, Monachus monachus. The Monachus Guardian 2 (2): 1999. http://www.monachusguardian.org/mguard04/04scien11.htm Kappeler, Markus (1986). Mittelmeer-Mönchsrobbe Monachus monachus. Groth AG (erschienen in der WWF Conservation Stamp Collection, Groth AG, Unterägeri). http://www.markuskappeler.ch/tex/texs/moenchsrobbe2.html Kenyon, K. W. (1981). Monk seals - Monachus. In: S.H. Ridgway & R. Harrison: Handbook of marine mammals. Vol. 2: Seals Academic Press London 1981. Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (1980). Tabie‟t Al-Talawon fi Al-Haywanat (The Colouration of Animals). Al-Biology Bulletin. Number 1. January 1980, Safar 1401. Biological Society, Kuwait University, State of Kuwait. pp. 4-5. (in Arabic). Khalaf, Norman (1982). A‟maar Al-Haywanat (Animal Ages). Al-Biology Bulletin. Number 18, Third Year, First Semester, Saturday 6.11.1982. Biological Society, Kuwait University, State of Kuwait. pp. 7. (in Arabic). Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (1987). Blue Whales (Balaenoptera musculus) from the State of Kuwait, Arabian Gulf. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. (ISSN 0178 – 6288). Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Federal Republic of Germany. Number 14, Fifth Year, Shawal 1407 AH, June 1987 AD. pp. 1-14. Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam (1992). The Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) in the Zoologisches Forschungsinstitut und Museum Alexander Koenig, Bonn, Germany. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. (ISSN 0178 – 6288). Bonn-Bad Godesberg, Federal Republic of Germany. Number 26, Tenth Year, January 1992. pp. 1-3. Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam (1992). An Introduction to the Animal Life in Palestine. Gazelle. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. (ISSN 0178 – 6288). Bonn-Bad Godesberg, Federal Republic of Germany. Number 30, Tenth Year, October 1992. pp. 1-7. (in Arabic). Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam (1994). An Introduction to the Animal Life in Palestine. Shqae‟q Al-Nouma‟n (Anemone coronaria). A Quarterly Magazine Issued by the Program EAI (Education for Awareness and for Involvement). Environmental Education / Children for Nature Protection. In Cooperation with Dept. of General and Higher Education. P.L.O., Palestine. Number 4. Huzairan (June) 1994. pp. 16-21. (in Arabic). Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (Gründer) (seit Juni 2001). Wale und Delphine Club Yahoo Group. http://de.groups.yahoo.com/group/Waleunddelphine/

Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 133 – January 2016

Information about the Zoological Collection of Pater Ernst Schmitz (1845 – 1922) at the Paulus-Haus Museum – Deutscher Verein vom Heiligen Lande in Al-Quds (Jerusalem), Occupied Palestine. Photo: Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-von Jaffa. 23.07.2014. https://www.flickr.com/photos/50022881@N00/15241447178/ Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 133 – January 2016

Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2004). Gazelle: Das Palästinensische Biologische Bulletin. Eine Wissenschaftliche Reise in Palästina, Arabien und Europa zwischen 1983 – 2004. / Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. A Scientific Journey in Palestine, Arabia and Europe between 1983 – 2004. ISBN 3-00-0141219. Erste Auflage (First Edition), Juli 2004: 452 Seiten. Zweite erweiterte Auflage, August 2004: 460 Seiten. Norman Ali Khalaf, Bonn-Bad Godesberg, Germany. http://dr-norman-ali-khalaf-books.webs.com/ Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2004). Die Wal Sonderausstellung "Delphinidae Delphionidae" und "Kleinwale in Nord- und Ostsee" im Museum Alexander Koenig in Bonn, Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. (ISSN 0178 – 6288). Bonn-Bad Godesberg, Federal Republic of Germany. Number 35, Twenty-second Year, September 2004. pp. 1. Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2004). Der Schweinswal (Phocoena phocoena) in der Nord- und Ostsee...The Harbour Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in the North Sea and Baltic Sea. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. (ISSN 0178 – 6288). Bonn-Bad Godesberg, Federal Republic of Germany. Number 36, Twenty-second Year, October 2004. pp. 1-7. Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). Thema des Tages (5. Januar 2005): In See gespülter Indopazifischer Buckeldelfin (Sousa chinensis) in Thailand nach Tagen gerettet. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. (ISSN 0178 – 6288). Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Number 37, Twenty-third Year, January 2005. pp. 1-3. Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). The Story of Prophet Yunus (Jonah) and the Whale. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. (ISSN 0178 – 6288). Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Number 38, Twenty-third Year, February 2005. pp. 9-13. Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). Jaffa (Yaffa): The History of an Old Palestinian Arab City on the Mediterranean Sea. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. (ISSN 0178 – 6288). Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Number 39, Twenty-third Year, March 2005. pp. 7-8. Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). The Andromeda Sea Monster of Jaffa. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. (ISSN 0178 – 6288). Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Number 39, Twenty-third Year, March 2005. pp. 8. Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). Aquatica Arabica. An Aquatic Scientific Journey in Palestine, Arabia and Europe between 1980 – 2005 /Aquatica Arabica. Eine Aquatische Wissenschaftliche Reise in Palaestina, Arabien und Europa zwischen 1980 - 2005. ISBN 3-00-014835-3. Erste Auflage, August 2005: 376 Seiten. Publisher: Norman Ali Khalaf, Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Bundesrepublik Deutschland & Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. http://dr-norman-ali-khalafbooks.webs.com/aquaticaarabica.htm Khalaf, Norman Ali (Co-Author) (2005, 2006). Chapter 3: Geography, Flora and Fauna. Pages 32-39. in: Palestine: A Guide. By Mariam Shahin, Photography by George Azar. Northampton, Massachusetts: Interlink Publishing Group, 2005, 2006. xi + 471 pages. Appendices to page 500.

Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 133 – January 2016

Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-von Jaffa presented his newest book “Fauna Palaestina – Part 4” to the Head of the Paulus-Haus in Jerusalem Sister Heidrun Raabe. 23.07.2014. https://www.flickr.com/photos/50022881@N00/15241558518/

Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 133 – January 2016

Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2006). A Bryde‟s Whale (Balaenoptera edeni) Stranding on Al Mamzar Beach, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin (ISSN 0178 – 6288). Number 50. February 2006. pp. 1-5. https://de.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Quastenflosser/conversations/mess ages/22 Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2006). Mammalia Arabica. Eine Zoologische Reise in Palästina, Arabien und Europa zwischen 1980-2006 / Mammalia Arabica. A Zoological Journey in Palestine, Arabia and Europe between 1980-2006. ISBN 300-017294-7. Erste Auflage, Juli 2006, 484 pp. Publisher: Norman Ali Khalaf, Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Deutschland & Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. http://dr-norman-ali-khalaf-books.webs.com/mammaliaarabica.htm Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Haywanat Filistin (Fauna of Palestine). In: Wikipedia-Arabic, Al-Mawsu'a Al-Hurra (The Free Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin (ISSN 0178 – 6288). Number 69, September 2007, Sha‟ban 1428 AH. pp. 1-4. (Article in Arabic). http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%AD%D9%8A%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86% D8%A7%D8%AA_%D9%81%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B7%D9%8A%D9%86 Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2008). Carnivora Arabica. A Zoological Journey in Palestine, Arabia and Europe between 2005-2008 / Carnivora Arabica. Eine Zoologische Reise in Palästina, Arabien und Europa zwischen 2005-2008. First Edition, September 2008, Ramadan 1429 AH. 396 pps. Publisher: Dr. Norman Ali Khalaf, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates & Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Federal Republic of Germany. ISBN 9789948-03-459-9. (In Arabic, English and German). http://dr-norman-ali-khalafbooks.webs.com/carnivoraarabica.htm Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2008). Cetacea Palaestina: The Whales and Dolphins in Palestinian Waters. Cetacean Species Guide for Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin (ISSN 0178 – 6288). Number 83, November 2008, Thu Al-Qi‟ada 1429 AH. pp. 1-14. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/thewonderfulworldofdolphins/conver sations/messages/749 Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2008). Amphibia Palaestina: The Amphibians of Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin (ISSN 0178 – 6288). Number 84, December 2008, Thu Al-Hijja 1429 AH. pp. 1-18. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. https://de.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Amphibien_Amphibia/conversatio ns/topics/27 Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2009). The Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus, Hermann 1779) in Palestinian, Mediterranean and Atlantic Waters. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin (ISSN 0178 – 6288). Number 85, January 2009, Muharram 1430 AH. pp. 1-20. Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 133 – January 2016

Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. http://issuu.com/drnormanalibassamkhalaf/docs/mediterranean_monk_seal_monachus_mo & http://www.joomag.com/magazine/gazelle-the-palestinian-biological-bulletinissn-0178-ndash-6288-number-85-january-2009-pp-120/0319544001412322908?preview Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2009). Flora and Fauna in Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 91, July 2009, Rajab 1430 AH. pp. 1-31. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. http://florafauna-palestine.webs.com/ Khalaf-von Jaffa, Dr. Norman Ali Bassam (2009). Fauna Palaestina – Part One. A Zoological Journey in Palestine, Arabia and Europe between 1983 – 2006 / Fauna Palaestina – Teil Eins. Eine Zoologische Reise in Palästina, Arabien und Europa zwischen 1983 – 2006. ISBN 978-9948-03-865-8. Erste Auflage/First Edition, September 2009: 412 Seiten/Pages. Self Publisher: Dr. Norman Ali Bassam Khalaf-von Jaffa, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates & Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Bundesrepublik Deutschland. http://dr-norman-ali-khalafbooks.webs.com/faunapalaestinapart1.htm Khalaf-von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2010). Fauna Emiratus Part One. Zoological Studies in the United Arab Emirates between 2004 - 2009. / Fauna Emiratus – Teil Eins. Zoologische Studien in die Vereinigten Arabischen Emirate zwischen 2004 - 2009. ISBN 978-9948-15-462-4. Erste Auflage/First Edition, November 2010: 350 Seiten / Pages. Self Publisher: Dr. Norman Ali Bassam Khalaf-von Jaffa, Dubai and Sharjah, United Arab Emirates & Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Bundesrepublik Deutschland. http://dr-norman-ali-khalaf-books.webs.com/faunaemiratuspart1.htm Khalaf-von Jaffa, Dr. Norman Ali Bassam (2012). Fauna Palaestina – Part Two. Zoological Studies in Palestine between 1983 – 2009 / Fauna Palaestina - Teil Zwei. Zoologische Studien in Palästina zwischen 1983 – 2009. ISBN 978-9948-16667-2. 1. Auflage / First Edition : July 2012, Shaaban 1433 H. 208 Seiten / Pages (Arabic Part 120 Pages and the English Part 88 Pages). Publisher: Dar Al Jundi Publishing House, Jerusalem, Palestine. http://dr-norman-ali-khalafbooks.webs.com/faunapalaestinapart2.htm Khalaf-von Jaffa, Dr. Norman Ali Bassam (2013). Fauna Palaestina – Part Three. Zoological Studies in Palestine between 2005 – 2012 / Fauna Palaestina - Teil Drei. Zoologische Studien in Palästina zwischen 2005 – 2012. ISBN 978-9950-383-35-7. Erste Auflage / First Edition : July 2013, Shaaban 1434 H. 364 pages (English Part 350 Pages and the Arabic Part 14 Pages). Publisher: Dar Al Jundi Publishing House, Al-Quds (Jerusalem), State of Palestine. http://dr-norman-ali-khalafbooks.webs.com/faunapalaestinapart3.htm Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2013). The Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus, Hermann 1779) in Palestinian, Mediterranean and Atlantic Waters. In: Fauna Palaestina – Part Three. Zoological Studies in Palestine between 2005 – 2012 / Fauna Palaestina - Teil Drei. Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 133 – January 2016

Zoologische Studien in Palästina zwischen 2005 – 2012. ISBN 978-9950-383-35-7. Erste Auflage / First Edition : July 2013, Shaaban 1434 H. Publisher: Dar Al Jundi Publishing House, Al-Quds (Jerusalem), State of Palestine. Page 94-120. Khalaf-von Jaffa, Prof. Dr. Norman Ali Bassam (2014). Fauna Palaestina – Part Four. Zoological Studies in Palestine between 1983 – 2014 / Fauna Palaestina Teil Vier. Zoologische Studien in Palästina zwischen 1983 – 2014. ISBN 978-9950383-77-7. Erste Auflage / First Edition : July 2014, Ramadan 1435 H. 456 Pages (English Part 378 Pages and the Arabic Part 78 Pages). Publisher: Dar Al Jundi Publishing House, Al-Quds (Jerusalem), State of Palestine. http://fauna-palaestina-part-1.webs.com/faunapalaestina4.htm Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2016). A taxidermied Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus Hermann, 1779) in the Ernst Schmitz Collection at the Paulus-Haus Museum – Deutscher Verein vom Heiligen Lande in Al-Quds (Jerusalem), Occupied Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin (ISSN 0178 – 6288). Number 133, January 2016, pp. 1-29. Sharjah and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. http://marine-lifepalestine.webs.com/mediterranean-monk-seal King, J.E. (1956). The Monk Seals (Genus Monachus). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Zoology, London Vol. 3: 201-256, 8 pls. King, J.E. (1983). Seals of the World. British Museum (Natural History) and Oxford University Press, London, Oxford: 1-240. Lavigne D.M. and W.M. Johnson (2001). Hanging by a thread. The Monachus Guardian 4 (2): November 2001. Macdonald, D. 2001. The Encyclopedia of Mammals. Barnes & Noble Andromeda Oxford Ltd., Abingdon, UK. Monachus-Guardian. http://www.monachus-guardian.org/library.htm Monachus monachus (Hermann, 1779). http://www.grid.unep.ch/bsein/redbook/txt/monach.htm Öztürk, B. Past, Present and Future of the Mediterranean Monk Seal Monachus monachus (Hermann, 1779) in the Black Sea. Proceedings of the first International Symposium on the Marine Mammals of the Black Sea. p. 96-102. Istanbul, Turkey. Ronald, K. and R. Duguy (eds.) (1979). The Mediterranean monk seal. First International Conference on the Mediterranean monk seal, Rhodes, Greece, 2-5 May, 1978. United Nations Environment Programme / Pergamon Press, Oxford, UK: 1-183. Sergeant, D.; K. Ronald, J. Boulva, and F. Berkes (1978). The Recent Status of Monachus monachus, the Mediterranean Monk Seal. In: K. Ronald and R. Duguy, eds. The Mediterranean Monk Seal. First International Conference on the Mediterranean Monk Seal. 2-5 May 1978, Rhodes, Greece. Pergamon Press, Oxford, UK: 1-183. Sergeant, D.; K. Ronald, J. Boulva, and F. Berkes (1978). The Recent Status of Monachus monachus, the Mediterranean monk seal. Biol. Cons. 14:259. Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 133 – January 2016

The Monachus Guardian. Mediterranean News. Confusion over Israeli stranding. Vol. 7 (1): June 2004. http://www.monachusguardian.org/mguard13/1315mednew.htm Wijngaarden, A. van. (1962). The Mediterranean Monk Seal. From a Report to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Oryx. Fauna & Flora Preservation Society, London 6: 270-273. Wikipedia. Mediterranean Monk Seal. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_Monk_Seal Wikipedia. Mönchsrobben. http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%B6nchsrobben Wyss, A. R. (1988). On retrogression in the evolution of the Phocinae and phylogenetic affinities of monk seals. In: American Museum Novitates 1988, Nr. 2924, S. 38ff.

‫فقمة صور تعود إلى موطنها وبيئتها‬ http://www.spnl.org/arabic/archives/110 ‫ فقمة الراهب المتوسطية‬. ‫ويكيبيديا‬ http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%81%D9%82%D9%85%D8%A9_%D8%A7% D9%84%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%87%D8%A8_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8% AA%D9%88%D8%B3%D8%B7%D9%8A%D8%A9

Picture of the Ornithologist Pater Ernst Schmitz (1845 – 1922) at the Paulus-Haus – Deutscher Verein vom Heiligen Lande in Al-Quds (Jerusalem), Occupied Palestine. Photo: Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-von Jaffa. 23.07.2014. https://www.flickr.com/photos/50022881@N00/15428333505/

Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 133 – January 2016