As Israel’s war against Hezbollah in Lebanon entered its 13th month this week, a rare Mediterranean monk seal was once again spotted in northern Israel.
The marine mammal, named Maya, was observed near Rosh Hanikra close to the border with Lebanon. First seen in Israel in 2010, Maya has returned to the country at least five times since.
Mediterranean monk seals are a critically endangered species.
While Israel’s new foreign minister said on Monday that there has been “certain progress” toward a ceasefire with Hezbollah, tens of thousands of Israelis remain displaced from their homes in the north by the fighting.
Last year, another monk seal, affectionately named Yulia, became something of a celebrity in Israel after repeatedly visiting the beach in Tel Aviv.
