Named for their vague resemblance to black-robed monks, these animals have always been unique. Indeed, the three similar-looking species that make up this group are the only seals on the planet that live exclusively in tropical waters. They were once found in the warm waters of the Mediterranean, Hawaii, and the Caribbean. However, centuries of destructive human activity have taken their toll. Their decline was so steep that, until recently, it seemed unlikely they would survive into the 21 st century. Thanks to efforts to avoid such a sad fate, things have taken a completely different turn over the past decade. Let me tell you an environmental success story worth sharing: one that is at once sad, inspiring, and encouraging.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Named for their vague resemblance to black-robed monks, these animals have always been unique. Indeed, the three similar-looking species that make up this group are the only seals on the planet that live exclusively in tropical waters. They were once found in the warm waters of the Mediterranean, Hawaii, and the Caribbean. However, centuries of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12847,"featured_media":71021,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[1492,1978,1979],"class_list":["post-71168","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-actionsconservationeducation-en","tag-phoque-moine-en","tag-phoquepinnipede-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n