Desertas Islands Nature Reserve

Source: ifcn.madeira.gov.pt

Desertas Islands Nature Reserve has a total area of 12586 hectares, limited by a bathymetry of 100 meters and includes all islands and islets.

The reserve includes the islands of Ilheu-Chao, Deserta Grande, Budjo, the adjacent islets and rocks and the surrounding sea area located south of Ponta da Doca on the west and Ponta da Faja Grande on the east. The entire adjacent maritime area to the north of the previously mentioned sites includes a partial protection zone.

The reserve received the European Diploma of the Council of Europe for Protected Areas in March 2014.

The Desertas Islands consist of three islands: Ilheu Chao, Deserta Grande and Bugio.

Ilheu Chao is the smallest of the three islands. It is a plateau with an almost constant height of 80 meters, reaching a maximum of 98 meters in the far north, where the lighthouse is located.

On the north is an island 50 meters high called Farillao. It is about 1600 meters long and 500 meters wide.

Deserte Grande has an elongated shape and is the largest and highest of the three islands. It extends 11700 meters from Ponta da Castanheira in the north to Ponta do Tabaceiro in the south with a maximum width of 1900 meters. It reaches a maximum height of 479 meters.

Along the coast there are numerous caves into the rocks, small beaches and some fajans.

The largest fajans are Faja Grande and Faja da Doca, resulting from simultaneous landslides to the west and east that occurred in 1894.

Bugio is long and narrow and is shaped like an arch. It is the most stormy of the islands. 

It extends 7,500 meters in length from Ponta do Cagado in the north to Ponta da Agulha in the south and reaches a maximum width of 700 meters. The maximum height is 388 meters.

History

The Desertache Islands have been protected by law since 1990, when the Special Protected Area was created. A big motivation for protecting these islands was the urgent need to preserve a small colony of the Mediterranean monk seal, commonly known as the harbor seal, whose protection project began in 1988. Since then, these islands have had continuous surveillance.

In 1992, islands were classified by the Council of Europe as a Biogenetic Reserve in recognition of the great interest in its natural heritage, as well as the work done in favor of nature protection.

In 1996, the Land Habitat Restoration Project began in the wilderness area of Grande.

In 1997, in Doca Deserta Grandea area was created rehabilitation area for impaired animals.

Between 2006 and 2010 was a project called "SOS Freira do Bugio". Between 2006 and 2010, a project called "SOS Freira do Bugio" took place in Bugio. The main goal of this project was to create the conditions for the restoration of Bugio and its habitat for achieving a favorable, stable and self-sustaining status of conservation.

The Desertas Islands are part of the Natura 2000 Network as a Special Protection Area (ZEC) and Special Protection Area (SPA), and in 2014 this area was expanded to a total area of 76,462 ha. Islands are also an Important Bird Area (IBA). All this recognition is due to the fact that on the Desertas Islands are a combination of various factors, namely geographic location, isolation and very difficult colonization conditions. Thus, these islands are home to species that are representative and important for the preservation of biodiversity, especially those that are vulnerable all over the world, such as the harbor seal and the monk's howler.

Natural values

Fauna

There are several rare and endemic species found on the Desertas Islands. It was important to take urgent actions to preserve the small colony of Mediterranean monk seals, commonly known as harbor seals.

Marine fauna of the Desert Islands, such as the Limbata Chromis and Abudefduf luridus, knights, mullet Liza aurata, Bogue Boops Boops, Diplodus sp. bream, Sea bass Serranus atricauda, sea bass Sparisoma creta, fish-predator without fish, fish-green Thalassoma pavo, crab-goat Grapsus adcensionis, chip Scyllarides latus. The various species of turtles that can be seen in the water surrounding these islands.

The islands are also a nesting ground for seabirds such as the caterpillar (Calonectris bogea), rock crawler (Hydrobates), black soul (Bulweria bulwerii) and desert monkfish (Pterodroma).

It is important to emphasize that Deserta Grande is home to the largest colony of black souls Bulweria bulwerii in the Atlantic and possibly in the world, while the desert monkfish (Pterodroma) nests exclusively on Bugio. These islands play a crucial role in the preservation of these species.

Another interesting group is the invertebrates. In the group of arthropods, specially highlighted the tarantula of the are particularly marked by the abandoned gognathins, one of the endemisms of these islands.

This spider has a very limited area of dispersal, it's inhabiting only the Castanheira valley, in the northern part of the summit of the Grande Desert.

Knowledge of the mollusc fauna of these islands is still scarce. However, recent studies confirm the presence of about 50 species, 44 of which are endemic and some unique.

The lizard Teira dugesii mauli is the only reptile of its kind that is a significant endemic of the islands.

Flora 

The flora of the islands is diverse, unique and rich in specific and exclusive plants.

Deserta Grande is an island that includes the greatest diversity of plant habitats , and even has two exceptional endemisms: cabbage sinapidendron sempervivifolium and Musschia isambertoi.

Geology

The islands are of volcanic origin, formed about 3.5 million years ago. In the beginning, one island was formed from a single volcano. After the cessation of volcanic activity, erosion and climate led to the formation of the current shape of the islands.

In Faja da Doca there is a small sandy shore, created by a landslide in 1894. Here is the official base of the reserve.

How to visit the reserve

Thousands of people have visit to the reserve every year. These are private yachts, maritime tourist boats, as well as ships of the Portuguese Navy and the Institute for the Conservation of Forests and Nature.

To visit, request authorization through the online services portal.

For any other activities not provided for in this portal, such as research, collection of images for commercial and promotional purposes, etc., fill out the Form and send your request to the Forestry and Nature Conservation Institute.

Contact the Forestry and Conservation Institute to landfall crew and passengers of vessels. Refer to the program of environmental education activities.