After the end of this practice, Madeira has started the preservation of these animals and in 1986, through the Regional Law nº6/86/M, this archipelago became a shelter for the sea mammals including the Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus).
The Whale Museum, located in the village of Caniçal, is the institution that is dedicated to the history of the whale-hunting and its associated activities and it is also a motor for the development of studies of the Cetaceous of the Madeira Archipelago. We can highlight the "Project for the Preservation of Cetaceous in the Madeira Archipelago", which contributes to the knowledge and preservation of these beautiful mammals.
The Archipelago of Madeira is frequently visited by several cetacean species all around the year and this is an ideal place for the fans of these animals. The practice of dolphins and whale watching is made by several companies that, using several sea courses, allow the observation of these animals in their natural environment. The Dolphin Watching and the Bird Watching associations are linked to this activity, being possible to watch the Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus) in some of the excursions to the Desertas Islands.
In the sea of Madeira, we can watch some small species like the Atlantic Spotted Dolphin (Stenella frontalis) or the Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis) and large species like the Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) and the Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus). Besides these mammals, we can regularly watch the sea turtles like the Caretta caretta.
