Deserta Grande Island
Encyclopedia
The Deserta Grande Island is the main island
of the Desertas Islands
, a small chain of islands in the archipelago
of Madeira
, located to the southeast of the island of Madeira. The island is a nature reserve with a manned base halfway along the western side. South of the base, no approach to the island closer than 100 m is permitted in order to protect the critically endangered Mediterranean Monk Seal
breeding population. Access is permitted to the north of the nature base, but some activities such as line and spear fishing are banned. The island has breeding Cory's Shearwater
s, Bulwer's Petrel
s and Madeiran Storm-petrel
s
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
of the Desertas Islands
Desertas Islands
The Desertas Islands are a small Portuguese archipelago, located about 25 km to the southeast of Ponta de São Lourenço, the eastern tip of the island of Madeira, the whole chain located roughly between Madeira and the Canary Islands.-Geography:...
, a small chain of islands in the archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
of Madeira
Madeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
, located to the southeast of the island of Madeira. The island is a nature reserve with a manned base halfway along the western side. South of the base, no approach to the island closer than 100 m is permitted in order to protect the critically endangered Mediterranean Monk Seal
Mediterranean Monk Seal
The Mediterranean monk seal is a pinniped belonging to the Phocidae family. At some 450-510 remaining individuals, it is believed to be the world's second-rarest pinniped , and one of the most endangered mammals in the world.It is present in parts of the Mediterranean Sea and the eastern Atlantic...
breeding population. Access is permitted to the north of the nature base, but some activities such as line and spear fishing are banned. The island has breeding Cory's Shearwater
Cory's Shearwater
The Cory's Shearwater is a large shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae.This species breeds on islands and cliffs in the Mediterranean, with the odd outpost on the Atlantic coast of Iberia. The nest is on open ground or among rocks or less often in a burrow where one white egg is laid,...
s, Bulwer's Petrel
Bulwer's Petrel
The Bulwer's Petrel is a small petrel in the family Procellariidae, and is one of two species in the genus Bulweria . This bird is named after the Scottish naturalist James Bulwer.- Description :...
s and Madeiran Storm-petrel
Madeiran Storm-petrel
The Band-rumped Storm Petrel or Madeiran Storm Petrel, is of the storm petrel family Hydrobatidae.The Band-rumped Storm Petrel is 19–21 cm in length with a 43–46 cm wingspan, and weighs 44-49g. It is mainly black with an extensive white rump...
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