Milan-Bicocca Launches Interactive Map to Track Mediterranean Monk Seal Presence
The University of Milan-Bicocca has introduced an interactive, continuously updated map to monitor the presence of the Mediterranean monk seal in the Mediterranean Sea. The map integrates and updates data as DNA samples from various locations in the central-western Mediterranean—ranging from the Aegean Sea to the Strait of Gibraltar, from the Adriatic to the Sicilian Channel—are collected, analysed, and uploaded. This effort tracks the elusive pinniped endemic to the "Mare Nostrum."
The “Spot the Monk Observatory” Platform
The initiative is hosted on a dedicated website, Spot the Monk Observatory, developed through a collaboration between the Departments of Environmental and Earth Sciences and Psychology at Milan-Bicocca. The platform is part of the broader “Spot the Monk” project, launched in 2020, which employs an innovative and non-invasive method to detect traces of monk seals in seawater samples. This approach analyses environmental DNA (eDNA)—the genetic material organisms leave behind in their surroundings.
The molecular test uses a synthetic DNA fragment (a primer) designed to match a unique DNA sequence specific to the monk seal. If the target DNA is present in a sample, the primer binds to it, confirming the seal’s presence. Developed in 2019 by Elena Valsecchi, a molecular ecologist at Milan-Bicocca’s Marhe Center, this technique has enabled efficient tracking of the species.
Citizen Science Collaboration and Public Engagement
In 2021, the project utilised this method to analyse a large number of samples collected across the Mediterranean through an extensive Citizen Science network. Volunteers gathered seawater samples from various points, helping to create an initial map of the monk seal’s distribution.
“Since then, our participatory collection campaign has expanded,” said Valsecchi, “involving more organisations committed to environmental causes, such as the Genoa Aquarium Foundation (supported by 11th Hour Racing) and WWF, along with our longstanding partner, the Monk Seal Group. Together, we have trained a growing team of 'serial samplers,' not only on the surface but also underwater, thanks to the engagement of several diving centres.”
This year, “Spot the Monk” embraced a new challenge: engaging the public by making results accessible through the Spot the Monk Observatory. Designed by Alessandro Gabbiadini, a professor in Milan-Bicocca’s Department of Psychology and deputy director of the MIBTEC research centre, the platform prioritises user-friendly data presentation.
“The website was developed using a User-Centered Design philosophy,” explained Gabbiadini. “Our goal was to make the collected data easily accessible and understandable, fostering collaboration among organisations involved in monitoring and conserving the monk seal population.”
Key Findings and Scientific Recognition
To date, 412 out of 537 samples collected between 2018 and now have been analysed, with 144 (over one-third) testing positive for monk seal DNA, indicating either the presence or recent passage of the species. The interactive map allows users to explore these findings, offering details about sampling locations, dates, times, and results.
The features of the observatory and its scientific underpinnings are detailed in a recently published article by Valsecchi and Gabbiadini in the Biodiversity Data Journal: “An Observatory to monitor range extension of the Mediterranean monk seal based on its eDNA traces: collecting data and delivering results in the Open Science era”.
Supporting Conservation and Open Science
The observatory was created not only to engage the public but also to assist scientists and conservation authorities in tracking the monk seal, a species that seemed to have disappeared from the central-western Mediterranean for decades before sporadic reappearances. By bridging academia, citizens, and conservationists, the platform is proving invaluable for both research and management efforts aimed at preserving this endangered species.
For enthusiasts and professionals alike, Spot the Monk Observatory offers a comprehensive and accessible tool, promoting awareness and collaboration in the ongoing effort to safeguard the monk seal's habitat.