THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE MEDITERRANEAN MONK SEAL IN GREECE BASED ON AN INFORMATION NETWORK

This study is an attempt to determine the distribution of the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) in Greece. This work is part of a larger project established in 1990, the Rescue and Information Network, which consists of a network of more than 700 contacts in coastal Greece and wit~ which there is continuous direct and indirect communication. The data used were informati.on collected in the field or received, relative to monk seal sightings from throughout the country. The data include the date and location of observation, as well as, other details on the description of the animal, its behavior, and others. During the study period (1991- I 995), we collected in total, 540 reports of alive seal observations and 79 reports of dead seals. The results indicatf!1hat the monk seal still remains widely distributed throughout Greece. In addition, the sightings of newborn pups in a number of coastal areas suggest that several breeding (sub )populations may exist within the species distribution. Furthermore, the high frequency of seal sightings in conjunction with evi- dence of breeding in specific areas (Samos - Fourni, Kythira, Kassos - Karpathos, Pelion - North Evia, Milos), suggest that there may be important (sub)populations which should be considered in the national strategy for the protect1on of the sp~cies. llfQtAl11!'l1 H (!EAEt1l aut11 axono EXEL tOY nQoa~LoQLa(!O tll~ xatavo(!11~ tll~ MEaoYELaxlj~ ooxLa~ atllv EAAa~a. ECvm (!EQO~ EVO~ nQoYQa(!(!ato~ nou -sEXCVllaE to 1991, tOU dLXtlJOU dLaaWall~ xm LUMOY1j~ ffillQOCPOQLOOV, to onoCo AELtOUQYEC (!E a(!Eall xm E~(!Eall EnLXOLV(l)VCa (!E nEQLaaOtEQou~ ano 700 ano~ExtE~- (!EAll atllv naQaXtLa EM6.~a. Ta ~E~o~Eva nou XQllm~onoL1j811xav aqJoQouv OE E~qJav(oEL~ cpwxoov xm auAAEx81lxav ano OAll tllv EMa<')a. DL 1tAllQocpoQiE~ 1tEQLAa(!~avouv: ll(!EQo(!llvia , eEall 1taQatljQllall~ xaeoo~ xm aAAE~ A~1ttO~EQELE~ YLa tllv 1tEQLYQacplj tou ~ooou, tllv au~1tEQLcpoQa tOU, x.a. Kata tllv nEQCo<,)o tll~ (!EAEt1l~ (1990-1995), auYXEVtQWellf\av 540 1tAllQOcpOQCE~ YLa E~cpavCaEL~ ~wVtavwv cpwxwv