An apparently orphaned rare Mediterranean monk seal pup found fruitlessly seeking its parents on an Aegean Sea island has been rescued and taken in for care and rehabilitation, a specialised marine wildlife group said.
The Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal. or MOm, said in a social media post that the young male pup was spotted wandering around the western beaches of Spetses for three days last week.
The Mediterranean monk seal is the rarest seal on Earth.
MOm said the pup, which it named Alexis, “appeared to be desperately searching for its mother from beach to beach among the beachgoing crowds.”
“After three days’ observation it became clear that we needed to intervene, and that happened with the assistance of the Spetses Coast Guard, the local vet and volunteers,” MOm said. “The first medical examinations showed that he is underweight and dehydrated, but his general health is not particularly bad.”
