Rare Seal Strands on Skikda’s Khraïef Beach, Stunning Marine Experts

✍️ BY: Dr. Hana Saada

Unexpected Sighting of a Healthy Female Seal in the Mediterranean Highlights Anomalous Presence of Arctic Species in Algerian Waters

Algiers, Algeria | May 16th, 2025 —  In an extraordinary and highly unusual event, a seal was spotted on Khraïef Beach in the Kheneg Mayoun commune, within the Skikda province. This rare sighting, confirmed yesterday by local Civil Protection authorities and a veterinary expert, has captured the attention of marine researchers and conservationists.

According to officials from the secondary Civil Protection unit of Ouled Attia, an intervention was promptly conducted to verify the presence of the seal on the beach. Mohamed Zaouali, a veterinary doctor in Kheneg Mayoun, reported that local fishermen were the first to alert authorities after noticing the animal. Preliminary observations identified the creature as a female seal in excellent health, frequently entering the sea before returning to the shore.

Experts emphasize the exceptional nature of this appearance. Typically, seals of this species inhabit cold oceanic regions, notably the polar areas, making its presence in the warm Mediterranean waters a rare anomaly. Souad Lemouti, a researcher at the National Center for Fisheries and Aquaculture Research and Development in Bou Ismaïl (Tipasa), personally visited the site with her team to study the seal and investigate its possible origin. She reiterated that this occurrence is highly unusual given that these marine mammals are native to the Arctic environment.

Lemouti and her team plan to maintain a continuous presence at Khraïef Beach to monitor the seal’s movements and behavior, in hopes of gathering further data, including nucleic acid analysis, to better understand how this Arctic species ended up so far from its natural habitat.

This seal belongs to the Phocidae family, known for thriving in cold waters. Its streamlined, hydrodynamic body is protected by a thick layer of blubber, which insulates the animal and maintains its core temperature in frigid environments. The appearance of such a creature along Algeria’s Mediterranean coast underscores potential shifts in marine ecosystems and warrants close scientific attention.

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