You can, but it is rare. Around 30 Mediterranean monk seals live in the Madeira archipelago, most of them at the protected Desertas Islands about 20 nautical miles south-east of Funchal, and only now and then does one appear off the main island.
How many monk seals live around Madeira?
About 30. That is the figure the regional government gave in May 2026, when it asked people to keep their distance from a young seal seen resting in the rocks at Praia Formosa in Funchal. It is a small number, but it is a recovery. In the late 1980s only six to eight seals were thought to be left around Madeira.
The Mediterranean monk seal, Monachus monachus, is one of the rarest seals on earth. A 2024 review in the journal Endangered Species Research put the world population at roughly 800 to 1,000 animals, split into three groups: two in the north-east Atlantic and one in the eastern Mediterranean. In June 2023 the IUCN moved the species from Endangered to Vulnerable because of that slow recovery. In Madeira it is still classed as endangered.
In Portuguese the seal is the lobo-marinho, the sea wolf. Câmara de Lobos, the fishing town just west of Funchal, takes its name from the seals the first settlers found in its bay in the fifteenth century. There is more on that in how Câmara de Lobos got its name.
Why do they live at the Desertas?
Because almost nobody disturbs them there. The three Desertas islands, Ilhéu Chão, Deserta Grande and Bugio, became a special protection area in 1990 and a nature reserve in 1995. The reserve takes in the sea around them down to the 100 metre depth line. Its southern part is a strict reserve. A new legal regime in 2021 went further and keeps fish traps out of the areas where the seals breed, because traps are one of the biggest threats to them.
The seals rest and give birth in sea caves and on small pebble beaches under the cliffs. They breed slowly, and a 2023 study of the Madeira population found it growing despite low fertility. With so few animals, each disturbance matters more than it would for a common species.
You can visit the Desertas, but only with authorisation from the IFCN, the regional nature service, and in practice on a licensed day trip from Funchal or Caniçal. Nature wardens are based on Deserta Grande. Our guide to the Desertas Islands covers how those trips work.
Do monk seals ever come to the main island?
Yes, and more often than they used to. The regional government links the rise in sightings to decades of protection. Some recent examples:
- Praia Formosa, Funchal, May 2026. A young seal rested for a time in a rocky recess at the beach, which is what prompted the government's call for distance.
- Cais do Sardinha, Ponta de São Lourenço, early 2025. At least three seals were seen at the eastern tip of the island, and one charged two divers who were using an underwater scooter.
- Rocha do Navio, north coast. The marine reserve below Santana is described by the regional tourist board as potential habitat for the species.
A seal can turn up anywhere on the coast, from a harbour wall to a quiet cove. Nobody can predict where or when.
Will you see a monk seal on a boat trip from Funchal?
Probably not, and anyone who promises one is guessing. Chifbay's trips stay on the coast west of Funchal, as far as Ponta do Sol at most, and never cross to the Desertas. A seal on that stretch would be a lucky moment, not something to plan around.
So it depends on why you are going. If a monk seal is the reason for your trip, your best chance, and still not a sure one, is a licensed day trip to the Desertas. If you want the south coast with a swim, Chifbay's Day Trip west from Funchal or the shorter boat trip to Cabo Girão fits better, and any seal would be a bonus.
What should you do if you see a monk seal?
Give it space and let it decide. The regional rules and the government's 2026 advice come down to five things:
- On land, stay at least 5 metres away, the legal minimum. Never stand between the seal and the sea, and never use a flash. Keep dogs away and keep your voice down.
- In the water, get out calmly and do not swim towards it. After the 2025 incident at Ponta de São Lourenço, officials told swimmers and divers to leave the water when a seal is near. An adult monk seal is a large wild animal and can defend itself.
- On a boat, never chase it or steer towards it. No active approach closer than 50 metres is allowed. If the seal comes to the boat, the boat keeps its course and speed.
- Near sea caves, stay out. Entering a cave known to be used by monk seals needs prior permission from the nature service.
- Report it. Sightings can be sent through the portal lobomarinhomadeira.com or on WhatsApp to the Rede SOS Vida Selvagem wildlife network, +351 961 957 545. A photo taken from a distance, with the place and time, makes the report more useful.
Why does one seal matter so much?
Because 30 is a number that can fall quickly. With so few animals, a single seal tangled in fishing gear, or pushed out of a resting cave by boats and swimmers, is a real share of the whole population. The recovery since the 1980s came from protecting the Desertas, and the 2021 rules on fish traps were written for the seals.
Watching from 50 metres costs you nothing. Getting closer for a photo can cost the animal its rest. For the full set of distances at sea, see the rules for watching dolphins and other marine animals in Madeira.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best place to see monk seals in Madeira?
The Desertas Islands, where most of the archipelago's roughly 30 seals live. You need a permit to land, so most people go out on a licensed trip from Funchal or Caniçal, and even then a seal is never certain.
Are monk seals dangerous to swimmers?
They are large wild animals and can defend themselves. In 2025 one charged two divers using an underwater scooter at Ponta de São Lourenço. If a seal is near, get out of the water calmly.
How close can you get to a monk seal in Madeira?
On land, never closer than 5 metres, and never between the seal and the sea. From a boat, no active approach closer than 50 metres.
Why is Câmara de Lobos named after seals?
In Portuguese the monk seal is the lobo-marinho, which means sea wolf. The first settlers found seals in the bay of what is now Câmara de Lobos in the fifteenth century.
Thirty seals, one coastline. The best thing you can give a lobo-marinho is distance.