New publication: "First assessment of passive acoustics as a tool to monitor the endangered Mediterranean monk seal in the Madeira Archipelago".
In a pilot study using custom-designed autonomous underwater recorders, two putative call types of the elusive and endangered species, Monachus monachus, were detected in two marine protected areas in the Madeira Archipelago. The most common sound type detected was the low-frequency growl. The study found no clear pattern in sound abundance by sampling date or time of day. Further studies are needed to validate and increase the database of underwater calls of this species. Detecting this species' vocalizations with PAM should allow for future monitoring plans and conservation efforts based on audio recordings.
Reference: Muñoz-Duque, S., Vieira, M., Fonseca, P.J., Quintella, B., Charrier, I., Monteiro, J.G. et al. (2024). First assessment of passive acoustics as a tool to monitor the endangered Mediterranean monk seal in the Madeira Archipelago (Portugal). Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 34(2), e4100. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.4100