It has coastal caves and cavities, preferably with reproductive or sheltering functions, in places where there is no construction on them, where people cannot easily reach or where they are far away from human activities; Mediterranean seals, which choose quiet and secluded rocky beaches as their habitat, are directly affected by the deterioration of these areas. There is a large amount of Mediterranean monk seals in Foça district of İzmir. Due to overfishing, habitat loss, and degradation of the marine ecosystem, the species' worldwide distribution has shrunk and its population has declined rapidly. The Mediterranean monk seal lives only in Turkey, Greece, Morocco, Mauritania and Madeira Islands, and its total population is estimated to be around 600.