The Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) is one of the most endangered marine mammals on Earth. Throughout Greece, our organization, after more than 25 years of research, has discovered many sea caves that are used by Mediterranean monk seals to give birth to their pups during the reproductive season which starts in September of each year. The monk seals of this specific area, after years of being hunted down, have developed this unique behavior in order to avoid human contact and reproduce in a safe environment. However, that makes it extremely hard for researchers like ourselves to spot, monitor and study their behavior. 

One of the islands of the Aegean Sea that shows an amazing activity in its sea caves is the uninhabited island of Makronisos. Our goal is to install camouflaged, motion-triggered infrared cameras inside its caves to be able to monitor the births of young pups every year and to ensure that these caves remain clean, hospitable and in overall good condition for the mothers to enter. The costs of such an operation are overwhelming, since each cave needs at least a set of two cameras, and the maintenance of each and every one of them is very time consuming and always dependent on the weather and the staff available at hand. However, despite all the adversities, when a pup is born and we are able to capture it live, oh... what a moment!!! To be able to share it with you, and to continue our project, we ask for your help and support to save the endangered Mediterranean monk seal, the rarest seal in the world!

To learn more about us and the Mediterranean monk seal, please visit http://www.mom.gr/homepage.asp?ITMID=101&LA...