In the air, on land and in the water
In contrast to the lush flora, Madeira's fauna is quite inconspicuous. There were hardly any land mammals on the islands by nature, with the exception of bats. Humans brought pets as well as rabbits here. The latter are popular game species.
Various whale species that have become rare and the monk seals, which are now under strict nature protection, live in the island's waters. At the last count there were 16 animals on the Desertas Islands.
The bird world is more numerous: around 40 species of birds breed here, and many more visit the islands regularly. The common buzzard that lives in the mountains is one of the most common birds of prey. The endemic Madeira wood pigeon has unfortunately been severely decimated by hunting.
Very often you can still see the Madeira summer golden cockerel, which lives mainly in the area of the laurel forests and in the tree heather bushes. A relative of our popular canary is the canary girl seat, which lives in warmer areas near the coast. Sea birds are also at home here: for example the Madeira wave runner and the black Bulwer petrel.
For the hikers, it is certainly reassuring to know that there are no queues. Only small lizards like the Madeira wall lizard and the wall gecko live here.
About 2.600 different insect species live on Madeira, many of which are endemic. A special feature is the monarch, who stands out due to its orange-brownish color and a wingspan of up to 14 cm.
Many species of fish live in the waters around Madeira. In the fish market halls you can admire around 100 edible varieties. These include tuna and deep-sea fish such as the black scabbard fish, which lives at a depth of approx. 600 to 1.400 m.
