Marine Mammals

Marine mammals constitute a varied group in which we may find the order of cetaceans. In the latter, whales and dolphins are included. The oceanographic and ecological characteristics of the Madeira Archipelago, namely the food availability in the archipelagos sea, in comparison to the high seas, and its sub-marine topography (characterized great depths next to the coast), make this archipelago a very privileged place in the occurrences of cetaceans, of which 22 species were already sighted at different frequencies. The whales that belong to the Cetacean order use the Madeiras seas temporarily during migration, which occurs anually between the tropical and subtropical waters and the cold-tempered waters and frozen waters of the Artic. These animals have huge dimensions; depending on the species, adults may vary between 8 and 30m in length and 8 to 160 tons. Dolphins also use the Madeiras waters as a passage point (for feeding and reproduction) or, in the case of same species, as a permanent residence. In 1986, a decree-law for the cetacean protection was implemented in the Madeira Archipelago, with the purpose of terminating its capture and death. However, there are still some menaces like the habitat degradation caused by the environmental pollution.

Terrestrial Mammals and Terrestrial Reptiles

With the exception of the bats, all other terrestrial mammals existing in the Madeira Archipelago were introduced by Man. Thus, the terrestrial mammals constitute a group of less interest to the region excluding, once more, the bats, that arouse the curiosity of many people, especially the Madeira Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus maderensis), which can only be seen in Madeira and in some islands of the Canary Archipelago.

Reptiles are 4 limbed, ectothermic, i.e., the internal temperature of the body varies according to the air temperature, vertebrates. They are, therefore, usually found in areas where the temperature is high, which allows them to accelerate their metabolism.

There are two species of terrestrial reptiles in the Madeira Island: the gecko, Tarentola mauritanica (Linnaeus, 1758) and the lizard, Hemidactylus mabouia (Moreau de Jonnès, 1818). In the Selvagens, only the gecko Tarentola bischoffi Joger, 1984 (gecko) is registered. The lizard Teira dugesii (Milne-Edwards, 1829) is present in all of the islands of the Madeiran Archipelago.

Although these species are not threatened, there are some legal protection instruments that comprise them, namely, Annex III of the Berne Convention.