The Mediterranean monk seal is a monk seal belonging to the family Phocidae. As of 2026, it is estimated that between 800 and 1000 individuals survive in isolated subpopulations in the Mediterranean,
Monachus monachus DSC 0274
Monk seal poking its head out the water, Alonnisos Marine Park, Greece
Swimming underwater in Pula, Croatia
Monk seal pup lying in a cave
The earless seals, also known as phocids or true seals, are one of the three main groups of mammals within the seal lineage, Pinnipedia. All true seals are members of the family Phocidae. They are som
Mediterranean monk seal
…The Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) is a monk seal belonging to the family Phocidae. As of 2026, it is estimated that between 800 and 1000 individuals survive in isolated subpopulations in the Mediterranean, (especially) in the Aegean…
Skeletal anatomy of a harbor seal. 1. Skull. 2. Spine. 3. Tail. 4. Hindlimb. 5. Forelimb. 6. Shoulder. 7. Pelvis. 8. Rib cage.
Harbor seal skull (Phoca vitulina)