Seal in the bay of Funchal

A sea lion was spotted this Wednesday morning, in front of Pier 8, in the bay of Funchal.

The moment was recorded by Francisco Pontes, aboard the sailboat ‘Pimpas’, from the regional recreational fleet.

The appearance of these mammals on the island of Madeira is explained by the Instituto de Florestas e Conservação da Natureza (IFCN): “the expansion of the monk seal’s distribution area to Madeira and the fact that males are animals with a greater tendency to “socialize ” with Man, leaves them more vulnerable to human activity whether accidentally or intentionally”.

Taking into account the small size of this population (it does not reach 25 individuals), the disappearance of even a monk seal has a significant impact on the population.

“In this scenario, it is mandatory to continue the monitoring work of the monk seal, investigate why these animals are showing up injured and act in accordance with the situation. If not, we could be at the beginning of the end of a species in the Region that at over the centuries has demonstrated an enormous capacity for survival”, warns the IFCN.

In late February of this year, the IFCN was following an adult male seal that was found with multiple injuries.

From Diário Notícias