The Mediterranean monk seal known as Argiro, has turned up since last week on the coast of Turkey. After 2 years of being constantly monitored in the region of NE Samos, where her movement covered a range of 10 miles, is now exploring new waters as she is gradually reaching maturity.
This monk seal is a unique case, both in terms of her behavior as she “chose” to be approaching, inhabited areas without ever having been in captivity or rehabilitation, but also in terms of the engagement of a large network of people from the local community (fishermen, people working in tourism, teachers, students and many more) for her conservation, with which Archipelagos’ researchers have shared many thousands of hours of monitoring.
Since the last recording of this monk seal in SE Samos on 29/12, she has covered about 25 miles, exploring for the first time unknown waters and reaching the coast of Turkey. During the past days she was found in the Kusadasi Marina.
In order to carry out continuous monitoring of the situation, Archipelagos is in constant communication with the Turkish environmental organization SAD AFAG, which is in charge of her protection in the Turkish coast, in cooperation with the local coastguard and with the department for the protection of nature and national parks.
Archipelagos’ boat and a research team are prepared to travel to the coast of Turkey, in the case that this will be considered necessary.
This movement of the seal is a very good incentive to help us realize that it is impossible to protect the Aegean Sea, if there is a lack of correct and efficient cooperation with our neighbors in the Turkish coast.
