Divers rescue endangered Mediterranean monk seal in Antalya

Divers in Antalya, Turkey, rescued a Mediterranean monk seal that had become trapped in a fish farm cage. The seal, weighing approximately 150 kilograms, had reportedly entered the empty cage to feed on remaining fish.

Professional divers Ali Kılıç and Onur Özel discovered the animal and notified authorities. To ensure the seal's safe release, the divers lowered the nets surrounding the cage to facilitate its exit. After being freed, the seal briefly interacted with the divers before returning to the deep waters of the Mediterranean. The Mediterranean monk seal is an endangered species found in limited regions, including Turkey, Greece, Morocco, Mauritania, and the Madeira Islands.