Madeira · 2000—2026
Mediterranean monk seal
Madeira’s wild return.
Follow public reports of Madeira’s rare monk seals, known locally as lobo-marinho. Their main refuge is the Desertas Islands, with animals also seen around Madeira’s coast.
About Madeira’s monk seals
In Madeira, Mediterranean monk seals (Monachus monachus) form a small resident population. These seals feed mainly on fish, cephalopods and crustaceans, and depend on quiet coastal waters and sheltered beaches or sea caves for resting, giving birth and nursing—making respectful distance essential to their recovery.
- Total reports
- 129
- Latest observation
Public reports · newest first
Public records archive
27 July 2000—9 July 2019
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17 of 129 reports
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Explore by area
All areasMarkers represent broad named areas, never exact observation locations. Select an area to filter the archive.
105 of 129 reports mapped · 12 areas
- Calheta17 reports
- Calheta waters1 report
- Câmara de Lobos3 reports
- Caniçal1 report
- Caniço1 report
- Desertas Islands17 reports
- Funchal41 reports
- Machico7 reports
- Porto Santo3 reports
- Ribeira Brava1 report
- Santa Cruz12 reports
- Santana1 report
Other reported areas
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Map: Natural Earth.
Reports over time
Select a year, then a month. Counts describe published reports; one animal may appear in several reports.
Grouped by each record’s archive date. Approximate dates keep their original labels in the records below.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified John Wright, Madeira 3–12 July 2019 trip report / Mammal Watching
Observation: John Wright saw one monk seal near the boat around noon at Deserta Grande. A second joined it near a buoy, and both remained visible until the boat departed after 15:00.
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Date:Reported: Fêmea Y and Parêntesis (mothers; source-attributed) Madeira Regional Government, reporting IFCN field observations
Observation: Wardens reported two mothers with pups, one pair on a beach and one at a cave entrance. The mothers were identified as Fêmea Y and Parêntesis.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Luís Rocha / Funchal Notícias
Observation: Funchal Notícias illustrated its Deserta Grande visit with a seal observed that day, described as a large animal.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Monaco Explorations mission report (2020), section 6.4
Observation: The visiting party saw two adult monk seals swimming in Doca Cove from the summit path on Deserta Grande.
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Date:Reported: Tria Rosa Pires, Parque Natural da Madeira identification catalogue
Observation: First identified in Desertas.
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Date:Reported: Manchada Rosa Pires, Parque Natural da Madeira identification catalogue
Observation: First identified in Desertas.
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Date:Reported: Desertinha Rosa Pires, Parque Natural da Madeira; The Monachus Guardian, June 2007
Observation: Rosa Pires reports Desertinha back at the Desertas after her 2006 injury.
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Date: 2006Reported: Unidentified Rosa Pires, Parque Natural da Madeira, in The Monachus Guardian
Observation: Rosa Pires reported one male monk seal found dead and floating near Ilhéu Chão. Its recorded length was 161 cm. Decomposition prevented a preliminary cause-of-death diagnosis.
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Date:Reported: Mascarilha Rosa Pires / Parque Natural da Madeira
Observation: First identified in Desertas.
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Date:Reported: Pinta Rosa Pires / Parque Natural da Madeira
Observation: First identified in Desertas.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified William Lopez-Forment / Lindblad Expeditions
Observation: Naturalist William Lopez-Forment recorded one Mediterranean monk seal during a Zodiac excursion along the Desertas coast. The seal swam around the boat, briefly followed its engine bubbles and was photographed.
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Date:Reported: Loma Rosa Pires / Parque Natural da Madeira
Observation: First identified in Desertas.
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Date:Reported: Fêmea Y Rosa Pires, Parque Natural da Madeira identification catalogue
Observation: The catalogue records Fêmea Y's first identification at the Desertas.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Desertas reserve wardens; reported by Rosa Pires, Parque Natural da Madeira, in The Monachus Guardian
Observation: Reserve wardens detected two young monk-seal pups in the Desertas Islands.
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Date:Reported: Metade Rosa Pires, Parque Natural da Madeira identification catalogue
Observation: The catalogue records the male Metade's first identification at the Desertas.
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Date:Reported: Esbranquiçado Rosa Pires, Parque Natural da Madeira identification catalogue
Observation: The catalogue records the male Esbranquiçado's first identification at the Desertas.
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Date:Reported: Risca-Grande Rosa Pires, Parque Natural da Madeira identification catalogue
Observation: The catalogue records the female Risca-Grande's first identification at the Desertas.