Programa Conservacíon Foca Monje

Programa Conservación Foca Monje, led by the Spanish nonprofit CBD-Habitat Foundation, is one of the most impactful efforts to protect the endangered Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) in the Atlantic Ocean. The program began in earnest in 2000, following a European Union LIFE project, and now operates in partnership with the Mauritanian NGO Annajah to safeguard the last major colony of monk seals in the Atlantic at Cap Blanc, on the coast of Mauritania.

At the time of intervention, the colony had dwindled to just over 100 individuals, threatened by fishing activity, habitat disturbance, and disease outbreaks. Through a combination of community engagement, habitat surveillance, and scientific monitoring, the program has achieved remarkable results – including increased birth rates and the first recorded births outside of traditional sea caves, seen as a sign that the caves might be a last resort and not the preferred pupping grounds of the species.

Central to the program is the Biological Station “Las Cuevecillas”, perched above the breeding caves, which coordinates round-the-clock monitoring, data collection, and conservation logistics. The team works closely with local fishermen, offering support and incentives to reduce harmful interactions and promote sustainable practices.

Beyond Cap Blanc, the program has expanded its scope to explore reintroduction efforts in other parts of the monk seal’s former range, aiming to reestablish lost populations, but was met with local resistance of fishing communities on the Canary Isles.