Is there wildlife in Madeira?

Madeira's fauna is extremely rich, both as regards vertebrates and invertebrates. This biological heritage, where the numerous endemic species of the archipelago stand out, is of great scientific interest, as well as of great importance from the conservation point of view.



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A few amphibians and reptiles, exception made to Madeira endemic lizards, are very common in the Funchal gardens. The waters of Madeira are a haven for marine mammals. The most famous is the monk seal, also known as wolffish.

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Sharks are widely distributed around Madeira Island with the most abundant species being M. mustelus.

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There are no venomous or dangerous animals on the island. In fact, there are no snakes at all on the island, and the spiders are not venomous. The only venomous spiders are on the Desertas Islands, but not on Madeira. With snakes and spiders out of our way, the only truly dangerous insect for us personally are bees.

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Assessment Rationale: The Desertas Islands (Madeira, Portugal) are the sole home of one of the largest and rarest wolf spider species worldwide, Hogna ingens (Blackwall, 1857) (Araneae, Lycosidae).

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Luckily, Madeira is not the case. There are no venomous or dangerous animals on the island. In fact, there are no snakes at all on the island, and the spiders are not venomous.

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Calheta Beach is one of the island of Madeira's few yellow sandy beaches. A peaceful swimming experience is guaranteed by two piers, so you can exercise in the sea all year round. Ribeira do Natal Beach enjoys properties that make it one of the best places for swimming. The transparency of its waters is remarkable.

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There are no venomous or dangerous animals on the island. In fact, there are no snakes at all on the island, and the spiders are not venomous. The only venomous spiders are on the Desertas Islands, but not on Madeira.

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Fauna and flora There are no dangerous animals such as snakes, scorpions or spiders on the island so it is possible move freely without concern unless you are scared of heights. However, on Deserta Grande you could, with luck, find the highly poisonous Desertas' Tarantula (Lycosa ingens).

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Dolphins, Whales and Sea Lions The coastal waters of Madeira Island, are host to at least nine species of dolphins and ten species of migrating cetaceans. These are protected in the 430,000 km2 Madeiran Marine Mammal Sanctuary. The most commun wildlife are dolphins, whales and sea lions.

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Just 5km (3 mi) off the coast of the island, the ocean depths can reach more than 3,000m (9,850ft) making Madeira's surrounding waters ideal for whales, dolphins, and a multitude of other marine species to swim through.

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Lying over 500 kilometers from the African coast, Madeira – about half the size of Hertfordshire – was simply too far over rough seas for land animals to make the crossing, even haphazardly. The total absence of land mammals allowed the Trocaz pigeon to become the royalty of Madeira.

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Oh yes, there are spiders in Madeira and some of them can be quite large. Scary, maybe, but these, too, are completely harmless. The best known is the Hogna maderiana, the Madeira Wolf Spider, sometimes also called the Madeira Tarantula. It is completely harmless, though scary for anyone afraid of spiders.

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Madeira also hosts resident populations of short-finned pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins that can be observed year-round, and provides opportunities to see other rare, deep-diving species like beaked whales.

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Violent crime involving tourists is extremely rare in Madeira and so you have little to worry about with regard to personal safety. But as with any travel destination, it's important to take basic travel safety precautions such as keeping your valuables close by and/or hidden, especially at night.

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Bugs (like mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas) can spread a number of diseases in the Madeira Islands. Many of these diseases cannot be prevented with a vaccine or medicine. You can reduce your risk by taking steps to prevent bug bites.

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Bugs (like mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas) can spread a number of diseases in the Madeira Islands. Many of these diseases cannot be prevented with a vaccine or medicine. You can reduce your risk by taking steps to prevent bug bites.

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ELECTRICITY AND WATER The electric current in the archipelago is 220 volts. There is plenty of water in Madeira and it is all drinkable and of excellent quality.

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Water: There is plenty of water of an excellent drinking standard. The tap water in Madeira conforms with all EU regulations and it is safe to drink. The water is treated with Chlorine and therefore may taste a little different.

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On March 4th, 1930, a sector of the Cape Girão cliff, located in the southern shore of Madeira Island, collapsed into the sea and generated an 8 m tsunami wave height.

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Phacellophora camtschatica. This species occurs in the Azores and Madeira waters during spring and summer. It is a large jellyfish known as fried egg jellyfish due to the yellow coloration in the center of its body that resembles an egg yolk.

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Fauna and flora There are no dangerous animals such as snakes, scorpions or spiders on the island so it is possible move freely without concern unless you are scared of heights.

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Natural Disasters The rainy season is from October through March. Floods may occur, especially on Madeira Island. Forest fires occur during the dry season.

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