Common name: Mediterranean Monk Seal.

Scientific name: Monachus monachus (Hermann, 1779)

Family: Phocidae

Distribution and Habitat: It occurs in the waters that surround the Desertas islands, and it may also be observed ocasionally in the coastal waters of the Madeira Island. It lives in costal zones where it uses the beaches and the caves.

Description: Its body is fully covered with a thick short fur, which is generally greyish brown. It has a large with spot on the belly. A curve in the area where the snout meets the skull may be seen on the animals head when observed laterally. The forelimbs are arranged along the length of the body, directed backwards. Adults reach a length of 3 m and a weight of about 400 Kg.

Conservation statute and Threats: Critically endangered and protected species. Currently 20 individuals live in the Desertas islands.

Observations: They feed on fish, cephalopods and crustaceans; in order to capture their prey they are capable of diving for up to 11 minutes.