The SRRC is regularly involved in the rehabilitation of seals abroad. When seals anywhere in the world are in danger, the SRRC"s expertise is available. In the past, the SRRC was involved in several oil-spillage disasters concerning seals: On the Shetland Isles north of Scotland, the Galapagos Islands west of Ecuador and in Wales, to name a few.
We are closely involved with the rehabilitation of the almost extinct monk seals. Our knowledge, which we gained through our work in the Netherlands, has helped to rehabilitate monk seals and to be successfully released in Mauritania. In Greece, several monk seals have been rehabilitated successfully as well. The Mediterranean monk seal is in grave danger of becoming extinct. Therefore, it is of great importance that every stranded animal is rehabilitated and returned to its population. Recently, an SRRC worker visited Turkey to give advice on setting up a local relief centre for monk seals.
The SRRC also helped in every way possible, when a plea for help came in from the Azores and Madeira (Portugal). Furthermore, we helped rebuild the relief centre in Uruguay, which was demolished by a hurricane. People from all over the world have travelled all the way to the SRRC to learn about our work. They have taken this information back to their countries, where they used it for their own projects. Many people have been trained in Pieterburen in this way.
The most recent developments in seal rehabilitation are taking place in the Caspian sea. Here Caspian seals are experiencing similar problems to the ones we have been battling against for years. Though intensive seal hunting has stopped, the population is in decline because of the consequences of pollution and the fishing industry. The Caspian seal has also suffered from an epidemic of the morbillivirus. The morbillivirus is a virus which is closely related to the virus that caused the mass mortality under our seals. A workshop in Pieterburen with the aim to inform scientists and policymakers about the situation and activities in the Netherlands was a great success. Delegations from all the countries involved came to stay in Pieterburen for a week. There were people from Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan en Russia. Scientists from these countries visited the SRRC before, participating in internships at the SRRC. They were taught better ways to study and protect the Caspian seal.
Greece
Since 1988, the SRRC has been working with what used to be called the "Hellenic Society for the Protection and Study of the Monk Seal" " nowadays referred to as 'MOm'. A plan has been devised to save the endangered Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) from extinction.
In 1990, the SRRC placed a mobile relief centre on the island of Alonnisos in the Northern Sporades. It consists of a large container completely fitted out with a quarantine pool, kitchen and inventory. Almost every year, a monk seal is rehabilitated there and released into the wild several months later, much to the interest of the local population. For this the SRRC works in close cooperation with the Greek monk seal organisation and the local people.
The interest of the local people is vital to the continued existence of the monk seal. Informing the people is the only way to make them see that monk seal are no competition for the local fishermen. Many monk seals have been the victim of this misconception and the fishermen were killing all the seals they ran into. It turned out to be the large-scale industrial fishing, that was the reason why the local fishermen were not finding enough fish in the sea. Now, the large fishing craft are staying away and there is enough fish for everybody. So the fishermen in the Northern Sporades have made their peace with the monk seals. Monk seals in their fishing area means only thing: clean water and plenty of fish.
The chances for the Mediterranean monk seal can only improve if three different aspects surrounding the problem are tackled: Firstly, the rehabilitation of and care for endangered (usually young) animals in their direct habitat. Secondly, a better, government supported, protection of the seal"s habitat, and thirdly, adequate information for the public. The SRRC is trying with all its resources and knowledge to help one of the most endangered mammals from extinction. In December 2003, in cooperation with the Greeks, we started the rehabilitation of a young monk seal, Dimitris. In may 2004 we were able to release him back into the wild, healthy and strong, near one of the neighbouring islands.
Mauritania
Since 1993, the SRRC has been working with the institute for fishery (then CHROP) in Nouadhibou, a coastal village in Mauritania (northwest Africa, between Morocco and Senegal). A relief centre was erected in a former aquarium not far from the caves where the monk seals live and give birth to their young. There, where the Sahara "drops" into the sea, once lived one of the most important populations of monk seal, with an estimated 270 specimens. Unfortunately, the morbillivirus raged here in 1997, which wiped out a third to three quarters of the population. Virologist Prof. Dr. Ab Osterhaus, professor at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam and advisor to the SRRC, discovered the virus in several dead animals, after which SRRC workers carried out an autopsy in cooperation with a Mauritanian vet.
Four monk seals that had lost their mothers through the virus were rehabilitated by SRRC workers and Mauritanian relief workers. Luckily these animals were healthy. After being vaccinated against the virus they were released into the wild in September 1997. Between then and now there have been several other rehabilitated monk seals in this small relief centre. They have been successfully released to add to the (small) population.
