Review of the occurrences of monk seals Monachus monachus (Hermann, 1779) on the East coast of the Adriatic Sea (Croatia and Montenegro) between 1800 and 1980

The Mediterranean monk seal, Monachus monachus (Hermann, 1779) is one of the most threatened mammals in the world. Once it was widespread around the Mediterranean and the Black Sea; however, throughout the years, it became rare. There is not a previous review on the species distribution on the Croatian shores. Here we show the data collected of the occurrences from the north-eastern Adriatic Sea from the literature and information from several public collections from the period between the 1800s and 1980. We discussed the gathered occurrences one by one, and we organised them based on different aspects, and when it is possible, we also determined the minimum number of observed individuals. The locations of the observations were mapped and based on the fragmented information available, the data on maritime traffic, the number of overnight stays of tourists and fisheries statistics were presented, which could contribute to the decline of the Adriatic population of the species.