CYPRUS FLORA AND FAUNA

Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus The Mediterranean monk seal ( Monachus monachus ) is the rarest out of the 33 species of seals that exist in the world. With a maximum length of about 2.5 meters and weight of about 300 kg, it is considered one of the largest species of seals in the world. The species can live up to 40 years. It can dive to depths of up to 200 meters, and has the ability to swim over long distances in a rather short period of time. Monachus monachus likes isolation and quietness and thus prefers sea caves, rocky and inaccessible coasts. Although it spends most of its lifetime in the marine environment, it uses terrestrial habitats for resting, pup bearing and nurturing its young ones. Its population in the Mediterranean is estimated around 600 individuals, of which 14 individuals are estimated to live in Cyprus.