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
14 October—10 November
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2 of 129 reports
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Markers represent broad named areas, never exact observation locations. Select an area to filter the archive.
2 of 2 reports mapped · 1 area
Map: Natural Earth.
Reports over time
All datesSelect a year, then a month. Counts describe published reports; one animal may appear in several reports.
Months in 2005
Grouped by each record’s archive date. Approximate dates keep their original labels in the records below.
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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.