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 June—22 November
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5 of 129 reports
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2 of 5 reports mapped · 1 area
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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 2018
Grouped by each record’s archive date. Approximate dates keep their original labels in the records below.
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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: 2018Reported: Unidentified iNaturalist — Honza Grünwald
Observation: Honza Grünwald recorded a Mediterranean monk seal in the Madeira archipelago. The observation includes photographs; the source obscures the location.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Jan-Christopher Fischer / Lobosonda
Observation: Lobosonda recorded a Mediterranean monk seal during Ribeira Brava's 09:00 refuelling trip. The daily list gives neither a seal count nor an exact encounter location.
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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: 2018Reported: Unidentified iNaturalist — Tiago Guerreiro
Observation: Tiago Guerreiro recorded a Mediterranean monk seal in the Madeira archipelago. The observation includes photographs; the source obscures the location.