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Weather @Skiathos |
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Sporades Marine Park (NMPA-NS) & the
Monk Seal
(Monachus Monachus)
The Sporades Marine Park (NMPA-NS) was founded on 1992 by Presidential
Decree. It
is a conservation area of ~2,200 km2, probably the largest
in the Mediterranean.
It is split in Zone
A (includes
the islands Alonissos, Peristera, Lechousa and Aderfia islands i.e. Mikro Aderfi and Megalo Aderfi)
and Zone B (includes the
islands Kira Panagia, Gioura, Grameza, Psathoura, Piperi - the
core of, Skantzoura, Lagofitonissia i.e.
Kasidis, Lachanou, Polemika, Strogyllo, Praso, Skadili and Korakas,
Papous and Strogyllo islets.
Geologically, the
most of the islands consist of limestone rock,
only Psathoura is of volcanic
origin. Moreover, there are 170 species of fish, 70 species of
amphipods and 40 species of sponges.
Of the
islands’ animal species the
Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus Monachus) is one of the most
rare species in the world and it is included as a critically endangered
species on the IUCN's Red Data
List and protected through different international conventions.
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They are
estimated to be 55 of them and are monitored from the research
boat 'IFAW-ODYSSIA' and the patrol boat 'ALONNISOS' - both donated by IFAW.
As the
number one endangered marine mammal in Europe, it is included as a
priority species in the Directive 92/43 of the European Union for the
Conservation of Natural Habitats and Wild Fauna and Flora.
A large
team of scientists, field researchers, conservationists and
technicians is carrying out all activities. Since 1998 MOm (Organization for the Protection of the
Monk Seal) uses for operational base the
Research Station of Gerakas in Alonnisos.
  
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MOM
(Monachus Monachus)...
