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
6 January—30 October
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9 of 129 reports
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7 of 9 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 2023
Grouped by each record’s archive date. Approximate dates keep their original labels in the records below.
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Date: 2023Reported: Unidentified Lobosonda
Observation: Seen with bottlenose dolphins directly in front of the harbour during the 13:30 Stenella trip.
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Date: 2023Reported: Unidentified Lobosonda
Observation: Seen foraging with bottlenose dolphins near the aquaculture facility during the 16:30 Stenella trip.
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Date: 2023Reported: Unidentified Lobosonda
Observation: Seen during the 13:30 Ribeira Brava trip; the exact position was not published.
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Date: 2023Reported: Unidentified Lobosonda
Observation: Seen during the 13:30 Ribeira Brava trip; the exact position was not published.
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Date: 2023Reported: Unidentified Lobosonda
Observation: Seen surfacing to breathe during the 15:00 Ribeira Brava trip; the exact position was not published.
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Date: 2023Reported: Unidentified Lobosonda
Observation: Seen sunbathing on the coast during the 13:30 Ribeira Brava trip.
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Date: 2023Reported: Unidentified Lobosonda
Observation: Listed on both 09:30 trip logs and conservatively counted as one encounter; the source does not confirm whether both boats saw the same animal.
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Date: 2023Reported: Unidentified Lobosonda
Observation: Seen directly in front of the harbour during the 10:00 Ribeira Brava trip.
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Date: 2023Reported: Unidentified Lobosonda
Observation: Surfaced between short dives at the marina entrance and appeared on both boats' trip logs; conservatively counted as one encounter.