In recent years, monk seals have been increasingly observed in Italian waters and in several areas of the western Mediterranean. What initially seemed to be isolated sightings is now becoming a more structured phenomenon, supported by scientific data, genetic analyses and verified reports. A three-year research project launched in 2023 has collected valuable information on the species’ distribution, also suggesting a possible return of breeding activity in Italian waters, which had long been considered absent according to official data.
The monk seal monitoring project
The hypothesis of a return of monk seal breeding in Italian waters emerges from a three-year research project started in 2023 by the Aquarium of Genoa Foundation, the University of Milan-Bicocca and the Monk Seal Group. The project focuses on studying the species’ distribution in the Mediterranean, especially in the Pelagos Sanctuary, Italian marine areas and other western Mediterranean regions lacking long-term monitoring.
More than 40 organizations took part in the project, involving about 180 people, including 80 trained citizen scientists.
Genetic analyses and reported sightings
Environmental DNA analyses confirmed the presence of the species in 105 samples, equal to 36% of those examined. In addition, 64 reports were collected, 55 of which were confirmed, providing unique evidence of the species’ distribution and possible breeding.
Evidence of possible breeding in Italy
In February 2023 a dead pup about 90 cm long was found in Calabria. In 2025 several individuals were observed in the Gulf of Naples, suggesting a recent breeding event in Italy, previously considered extinct in reproductive terms.
Areas of presence and habitat expansion
Main areas identified include the Tuscan Archipelago, northeastern Sardinia, the Adriatic Sea and the Balearic Islands, extending to the central Ligurian Sea, French and Spanish coasts, and also the Alboran Sea. This suggests a westward expansion of the species’ habitat.