Success: Endangered Monk Seal Granted Safe Haven

Target: Carter Roberts, President and CEO of World Wildlife Fund

Goal: Praise efforts to save endangered monk seals by providing an island sanctuary.

Endangered Mediterranean monk seals have found a new home on the “Alcatraz of Greece” after facing decades of certain death by hunting, coastal development, and deliberate and indeliberate killing by fisherman. This island sanctuary gives the seals a place where they can grow and thrive and it is an important success for conservationists and those who signed this ForceChange petition. Thank those who made this possible.

“The idea is to create a kind of refuge, a safety net, for the seal to breathe when things are difficult elsewhere,” stated Christos Papadas, an environmental scientist with World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The organization formed the island sanctuary on Gyaros, a former prison and naval firing range, with the help of various nonprofits and government agencies. The five-mile-long protected nature reserve is filled with sea caves that provide excellent shelter and boasts a military-grade surveillance system to ward off intruders. It now houses 60 monk seals, about 10 percent of the global total.

Though fishing and deliberate killing remains a threat to monk seals, WWF continues to fight against those who mean to harm this delicate species. Sign below and thank them for their conservation efforts.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Mr. Roberts,

Your efforts to clean up Gyaros and use it as a safe haven for endangered Mediterranean monk seals have not gone unnoticed. By giving these animals a home free of human intrusion, hunting, and fishing, you have granted them a chance to grow and thrive once again. Additionally, you have provided an island with a dark history an opportunity to become a beacon of light in the conservation world and that should be commended.

Your continued efforts to protect these seals from local fisherman and other threats may have angered the local human population, but they have also saved the lives of countless seals. Thank you for taking a bold step and giving this endangered species a fighting chance.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo Credit: OneOldCop