First video documented presence of Mediterranean monk seal in Southern Apulia (Italy)

Sightings of Endangered monk seal (Monachus monachus) specimens have been increasingly reported along the coasts of its historic Mediterranean distribution over the last two decades, even from countries where the species was considered extinct for about half a century. These encounters have been documented and verified particularly along the coasts of the Adriatic-Ionian basin. The activities carried out in Salento (Southern Apulia, Italy) since 2012, engaging with local protected areas, authorities and different stakeholders (organizations, museums, universities, fishermen’s cooperatives and tourism sectors enterprises) allowed us to record and verify 10 monk seal sightings (from 2009 to 2014) in the area. However, the last sighting with photographic documentation dates back to 1973. In June 2017, after six years of monitoring and awareness of the territory, immediately after the sighting, we received a video evidence of such presence. The footage, and the resulting interview with the witnesses, documented the presence of a Mediterranean monk seal’s specimen, about 2 meters in length, along the coast of Tricase (Lecce, Apulia). This new event has a remarkable importance to the hypothesis that Salento and the Adriatic-Ionian basin might play an important role in the overall conservation of the specie