Monk seal on Numana beach. «We offer 1,000 euros so as not to disturb her while she rests»

New sightings of monk seal they were also reported this morning, Christmas Day, along the beach Numana (Ancona), where yesterday the animal made its appearance attracting onlookers and photographers. In the last few hours, however, appeals have multiplied on social media not to disturb the specimen and to allow it to rest undisturbed for at least 24 consecutive hours, a condition considered fundamental for the animal’s well-being.

THE COMPLAINT

According to what has been reported by citizens and volunteers, the monk seal, a protected species and particularly sensitive to human presence, tends to immediately return to the sea as soon as it is disturbed. Also this morning new videos appear to have circulated online documenting his presence on shore, followed however by a rapid departure. In one of the most shared appeals, an episode is reported that occurred in the early hours of the day: the seal, which was sleeping under some structures near a hotel, was apparently disturbed by the approach of a photographer, waking up and returning to the water. “Animals in this state – we read – need to stay on the ground for more than 24 continuous hours.” Hence the proposal, relaunched online, to establish a committee of volunteer citizens to monitor the area chosen by the animal as a refuge, guaranteeing it peace of mind. A user announced his willingness to make a contribution of one thousand euros to support the initiative, provided that undisturbed stopping of the seal for over 24 hours is documented. Appeals to keep their distance and respect the animal were also addressed to bodies and associations involved in the protection of marine fauna. The shared objective remains that of protecting an event considered exceptional for the Adriatic, preventing human curiosity from compromising the permanence of the monk seal along the Marche coasts.