From the Liveblog of
Sunday, March 23, 2025
Researchers probing if seal corpse that washed ashore is Julia
Sue Surkes is The Times of Israel's environment reporter
The corpse of an adult seal washes up on the beach at Kibbutz Ma’agan Michael in northern Israel.
It is taken for an autopsy and DNA testing at the Super Predator Laboratory of Haifa University’s Maurice Kahn Marine Research Station.
Results will determine whether the seal is Julia, a Mediterranean monk seal who caused a sensation a couple of years ago when she came up on the beach in central Jaffa.
There are roughly 600-700 Mediterranean monk seals left in the world, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, though other estimates put the number even lower. The species is classified as endangered.
Monk seals live an average of 20 to 25 years, with Julia over 20 years old when she came ashore several years ago.
The Times of Israel Community.