The researchers of the Delphis association have been following with interest in recent days reports coming from the Lebanon region about a seal being observed in the area. From watching the videos obtained by the association's researchers, it becomes clear that this is the Mediterranean monk seal named 'Maya'.
Maya first arrived on the shores of Israel in 2010. Since she was spotted in Herzliya, she has been seen in Rosh Hankara four times - in the years 2016-2014 and in the last sighting in Israel, in May 2018.
The mermaid is on her way to Israel ► Watch
Dr. Mia Elser of Delphi, who leads the study of seals in Israel and the project to return the Mediterranean monk seals to Israel, says:
From 2020 we are collecting observations of Maya from Lebanese social media, and so far we have collected about 20 observations in total from the Beirut area and the north. Despite the longing for Maya, her choice to settle specifically in the Lebanon region is understandable, because there she was recorded while resting in a natural and relatively isolated cave, far from bathing beaches.
On Tuesday, May 21.5.24, 2020, Dr. Elser was surprised to discover a video on Lebanese Telegram of the seal Maya seen off the coast of Tzur in Lebanon. According to her, "this is the first time since XNUMX that we see the seal Maya south of Beirut."
Dr. Elser fears that the mermaid will choose to continue south, towards the coast of Israel, which these days is at war and is under constant shelling. The seals along the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea, which is essential for the preservation of this species, which is under constant threat."
"We are sure that protecting the marine environment is a high priority in the Israeli Navy, and in the meantime we continue to monitor to make sure that Maya is well," concludes Dr. Elser.
