An extremely rare seal turned up to rest on a beach in central Israel over the weekend.
According to Israeli media reports, the Mediterranean Monk Seal was pregnant. However, officials from the Nature and Park Authority told World Israel News that there was no evidence of that and it was possible that she was just a large mammal. They added that they had not inspected the seal, and were guarding her from onlookers until she was ready to return to sea.
It was the first time a seal had come on the shore in Israel in recorded history, the authority said.