Comments on: RFI for Greece and Italy

By: Timo Marijnissen

Timo Marijnissen — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 14:39:07 +0000

Another place for Mediterranean Monk Seals are the Desertas Islands. These uninhabited islands off the coast of Madeira are home to a small (but increasing) population of about 35 Mediterranean Monk Seals. I saw one there in August 2004 near the main island of Deserta Grande. Several Madeira based companies offer trips to these islands, which can be good for cetaceans as well.

Timo

By: Ralf Bürglin

Ralf Bürglin — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 17:11:34 +0000

A good place for mufflon in Italy is the peninsula east of Golfo Aranci/Island of Sardegna. Take Via Cala Moresca. If your are offseason you can drive to its end. Then walk to the top of the peninsula. On your way up you have good overviews to each side of the road. The peninsula is only 3-5 km in diameter. So sooner or later you will see the animals.

If you want to see ibex and chamois in mixed herds (up to 80 in a herd) go to Gran Paradiso National Park in the Alps. Drive from Aosta to Cogne. Hike within a few hours to “Refugio Vittoria Sella”, where you can stay overnight. I was there in fall so you should ask for seasonal shifts.

If you are really into chamois and ibex you shouldn’t miss the castle at Sarre near Aosta. Inside you will find the biggest collection of ibex trophies all hunted by king vittorio emanuele II. Even if you are not a bone freak you will be fascinated. See: http://www.google.de/imgres?q=castello+di+sarre&um=1&hl=de&sa=N&biw=1615&bih=1003&tbm=isch&tbnid=3YKSn3BkCiU0XM:&imgrefurl=http://www.courmayeur-mont-blanc.com/castellosarre.htm&docid=wp-HRpaQYy6xZM&imgurl=http://www.courmayeur-mont-blanc.com/Castelli/castellosarre/corridoio1p.JPG&w=661&h=678&ei=TuebUKb5IqiB4AS43YCACw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=4&sig=116898173173199777598&page=1&tbnh=139&tbnw=135&start=0&ndsp=42&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0,i:72&tx=53&ty=69

Good luck, Ralf

By: Vladimir Dinets

Vladimir Dinets — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 04:56:10 +0000

I’ve heard that monk seals are fairly reliable at Banc d’Arguin in Mauritania… if true, it’s the only such place.

By: Coke Smith

Coke Smith — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 23:44:58 +0000

Thanks! I think I have a good plan of attack forming… I might give Crete a try for the Cretan Wild Goat as well as try for some of the spots where Monk Seals have been spotted there in the past….who knows.

By: Jon Hall

Jon Hall — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 20:29:09 +0000

Coke, Mediterranean Monk Seals are possible but hard in Turkey. I will leave others to give you info on Italy and Greece but the Andujar region of Spain is excellent for Moufflon as well as the Iberian Lynx of course and you can see Ibex near Granada. The Vercors region of France is good for Chamois, Moufflon and Alpine Ibex as well as Marmots etc. But I think you should get all the bovids in Italy easily enough

Jon

By: jurek

jurek — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 20:10:20 +0000

Abruzzo NP in C Italy is nice and easy for local chamois, red deer, brown bear. Alps in Switzerland have ibex and alpine chamois in many places, but I guess Italian Alps have them, too.
AFAIK, nobody practically sees Meds Monk Seals.