Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin (ISSN 0178 – 6288) . Number 85, January 2009, pp. 1-20. | Page 15

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largest surviving population of Mediterranean monk seals was wiped out within the
space of two months at Cabo Blanco (the Côte des Phoques) in the Western Sahara
(Arab Democratic Republic of the Sahara). While opinions on the precise causes of this
epidemic remain sharply divided, the mass die-off emphasized the precarious status of a
species already regarded as critically endangered throughout its range.

Vital statistics (all figures are averages)
Status:

250-300 kg (estimate only).
Predominantly black with a white belly patch, but several
variations exist.
Slightly smaller than male (2.4 m).

Weight:

250-300 kg (estimate only).
Predominantly grayish, with several variations.

Length:

94 cm (nose to tail).

Weight:

15-20 kg.

Colour:

Pup

Weight:

Colour:

female

2.4 meters (nose to tail).

Length:
Adult

Sea caves along remote cliff-bound coasts for resting and giving
birth; originally congregated on open beaches and sh