PROJECT: Monitoring Mediterranean monk seal activity in a sea cave on the island of Kimolos - Greece |
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Introduction The Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) is one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world. Our knowledge of the species biology and behaviour is extremely limited, mainly due to the scarcity of the species and the inaccessibility of its habitat. The recent development and refinement of remote monitoring techniques has enabled researchers in Turkey, Mauritania and Greece to collect valuable information without disturbing this highly sensible species. Project objectives and aims The island of Kimolos in the southwestern Cyclades islands is one of the species’ strongholds in the Aegean Sea. Kimolos and the neighbouring islets around it have a high number of caves that are frequently used by the species for resting and reproduction. The island receives during the summer months a significant number of tourists, making it an ideal place for informing the general public on the endangered situation of the species and the efforts to protect it. The objective of the project is to establish a remote monitoring scheme (using one or two cameras) in one of the most frequently used reproductive caves of the species on the island. The primary aims of the monitoring scheme are:  To collect valuable
information on the species biology and behaviour (individual as well as social). As the cave chosen for this project is often used for
reproduction it is aspired that the camera(s) installed will manage to capture on film the birth of monk seal pup, something that has never
been observed in Greece before. Images recorded in the caves will be transmitted to the
environmental center of MOm and uploaded to the society’s web-site and
will be used in the environmental campaigns and awareness efforts of the
society.Cave location and morphology The cave chosen for the project is located at the northeastern side of the island of Kimolos (Cave code: KIM1 GPS coordinates: 36º 49' 25.4"N - 024º 36' 14.4"E), with an entrance facing towards the east. It is used almost on a yearly basis by Mediterranean monk seals for resting and breeding. An entrance corridor, approximately 20 m long, leads to a small pool and two dry surfaces in the interior of the cave (Fig. 1). Beach 1 is located towards the left of the entrance corridor and has a size of approximately 20m2. It is covered by fine sand and some small stones and is regularly used by the animals when resting. During cave inspections by MOm researchers however, seals are usually found on beach 2. The two beaches are separated by the cave ceiling, which ascends until the beach, leaving however a small cavernous space (shaded grey on Figure 1) underneath, which is big enough for pups to fit through, thus being able to move from beach 1 to 2. Beach 2 is the main beach of the cave (approx. 25 m2) and is covered by fine sand and sea wheat. There is a cavernous space at the right hand side of the beach, which is, depending on the sea level, high enough to fit pups/juveniles/adults. The view to this beach is obscured by two boulders that are located at the left hand side of the beach, at its beginning. Cave camera installation Two locations within the cave have been initially selected for the camera installation. Proposed position 1 is a wall on the left hand side of the entrance corridor and is made of a soft and porous material. It has a good view of the entire beach surface, the distance however to the furthest end of beach 2 could be an obstacle when using cameras that do not provide big picture depth. Proposed position 2 is closer to the main beach area, does not offer however such good coverage of beach 1. This problem could be solved when using a camera that can be remotely guided. In both cases, site selection will depend greatly on the exposure of the camera to the prevailing wave and wind action and the substrate on which the camera will be applied. Position 1 offers better protection against wind and wave action than position 2. Image transmission/reception Regardless of the camera location(s) within the cave, at least 50 m of cable will be required to transfer power to the camera(s) and for the image to return from the cameras to a transmitter. The image transmitter and the solar panels will be located at the cliff above the cave entrance. Because there is no direct optical connection with the environmental center, images will have to be transmitted first to a link and from there on to the center. The link will be positioned on a small neighbouring island (approx. 6km away from the cave) (Fig. 2) and through there images will be transmitted to the receiver at the environmental center of MOm at Kimolos (approx. 2km away from the cave). Author/Assignor of the above: Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal Recipient of the above: HellasCams.gr - [Project assigned to HellasCams.gr]
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 Author/Assignor of the above: Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal Recipient of the above: HellasCams.gr - [Project assigned to HellasCams.gr]
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Author/Assignor of the above: Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal Recipient of the above: HellasCams.gr - [Project assigned to HellasCams.gr] HellasCams has developed an implementation plan that among the other high quality, reliable and robust units includes: For within the sea cave harsh marine environment:
One
(1) piece of Axis Network Infrared Camera 213PTZ 
Data Sheet
Three (3) pieces of Active-Infrared Illuminator Derwent Microled
Data Sheet
One (1) piece of Videolarm Housing (protective enclosure for Axis Camera
213PTZ)
Data Sheet
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Photos from the site survey and the simulation inside the sea cave - Saturday, 20 May, 2006 [Click on images to enlarge] |
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