Monk seal # 2

Second encounter with a monk seal in the Gulf of Evia (see previous post). This animal was observed for an hour engaging in food search in a murky bay, not far from an industrial plant. She performed dives approximately 4-6 min long followed by about 30 sec of ventilations. During those 30 sec spent at the surface we could watch the seal in all her beauty while she was elegantly swimming, staring at us from time to time (photo). While she did not seem exceedingly wary of the boat, she never came closer than 30-50 m. This is a wise behaviour, considering that monk seals in the coastal waters of Greece are still sometimes seen as vermin, and shot.

Giovanni Bearzi