seal.watch / madeira

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

1 June—8 June

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4 of 129 reports

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Explore by area

Markers represent broad named areas, never exact observation locations. Select an area to filter the archive.

4 of 4 reports mapped · 3 areas

N ↑Calheta · 1 report1Funchal · 2 reports2Santana · 1 report3
  1. Calheta1 report
  2. Funchal2 reports
  3. Santana1 report

Map: Natural Earth.

Reports over time

All dates

Select a year, then a month. Counts describe published reports; one animal may appear in several reports.

  1. 12000
  2. 22001
  3. 12002
  4. 22003
  5. 12004
  6. 22005
  7. 42006
  8. 12007
  9. 42008
  10. 22010
  11. 22011
  12. 32012
  13. 22013
  14. 52014
  15. 32015
  16. 22016
  17. 42017
  18. 52018
  19. 62019
  20. 42020
  21. 42021
  22. 22022
  23. 92023
  24. 222024
  25. 102025
  26. 262026

Months in 2024

  1. 0Jan
  2. 0Feb
  3. 0Mar
  4. 3Apr
  5. 3May
  6. 4Jun
  7. 4Jul
  8. 4Aug
  9. 1Sep
  10. 3Oct
  11. 0Nov
  12. 0Dec

Grouped by each record’s archive date. Approximate dates keep their original labels in the records below.

  1. 2024
    Doca do Cavacas Funchal
    Unidentified Diário de Notícias Madeira

    Sighting: observed beside the bathing complex.

  2. 2024
    Marina da Calheta Calheta
    Unidentified juvenile (reported) RTP Madeira

    One lobo-marinho was filmed swimming inside Calheta marina. RTP described it as a juvenile; the age class is the reporter’s attribution. This is separate from the 1 Jun Funchal marina and São Jorge sightings. Mediterranean monk seal · 1 seal

  3. 2024
    Rocha de Baixo, São Jorge Santana
    Unidentified Diário de Notícias Madeira

    Sighting: north-coast observation; no link to the same-day Funchal report was established.

  4. 2024
    Marina do Funchal Funchal
    Unidentified Diário de Notícias Madeira

    Sighting: reported as the third recent appearance in the same harbour area.