Mediterranean ecosystems seriously endangered

Press information dated July 17, 2006

With nearly 200 million tourists per year, the Mediterranean Sea is one of the most popular holiday destinations worldwide. But mass tourism does not only bring money into the region, but also involves the destruction of its ecological systems, warn the European Nature Heritage Fund EuroNatur and the Swiss Organisation OceanCare.

Radolfzell. The European Nature Heritage Fund (EuroNatur) and the Swiss Organisation OceanCare are pleading for the establishment of marine reserves, sustainable tourism and nature-friendly agriculture and fishery, focussing on the endangered monk seal.Just because of their nature diversity and riches, many Mediterranean regions have become popular holiday destinations. All the more important it is to harmonize tourist development with nature. Yet, reality is often different. Each year, over 200 million tourists visit the Mediterranean Sea, tendency rising. This boom goes at the expense of environment and nature: water shortage is frequent during summer months, and raw sewage often goes directly into the sea. Where ocean turtles once used to deposit their eggs, huge hotels have been built. Today, motorboats frequent bays that once were quite and inaccessible and used by monk seals to raise their offspring.

Though millions of Europeans regularly spend their holidays at the Mediterranean Sea, only very few are aware of these connections. And only few tourists know that despite of the intense tourism on the Mediterranean coasts, there are still a few of once numerous monk seals left to be found hiding on the rocky coasts. If you want to inform yourself before your holiday starts, you can do so at the Knies Kinderzoo (zoo for children) in Rapperswill at Lake Zürich, Switzerland. Here, an interesting exhibition organised by OceanCare answers many questions around monk seals and explains the activities of EuroNatur to protect this endangered species. This joint activity of EuroNatur, OceanCare and Knies Kinderzoo aims at to enlighten the public about this species and the multiple dangers it is exposed to by human interference. The exhibition is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (7 p.m. on Sundays and public holidays) till October this year.