Deserta Grande Island

Deserta Grande island

Location of Deserta Grande Island in the Atlantic Ocean.

West coast of Deserta Grande Island, from nature reserve base.

The Deserta Grande Island is the main island of the Desertas Islands archipelago, a small chain of three islands in the Portuguese Madeira Islands Archipelago of Macaronesia.

It is located 23 kilometres (14 mi) southeast of Madeira Island, off the western coast of North Africa in the Atlantic Ocean.

Nature reserve

The island is part of the Desertas Islands nature reserve, with a warden's base midway along the western coast.

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 Shearwaters, Bulwer's Petrels and Madeiran Storm-petrels

See also

• Bugio Island
• Ilhéu Chão — Chão islet.

External links

• Madeiraarchipelago.com: photos of the Desertas Islands—Ilhas Desertas
• Madeirabirds.com: sea trips to Deserta Grande

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Desertas Islands (Ilhas Desertas).

Municipalities of the Madeira Autonomous Region Madeira Island Calheta Câmara de Lobos Funchal Machico Ponta do Sol Porto Moniz Ribeira Brava Santa Cruz Santana São Vicente Porto Santo Island Porto Santo

Coordinates: 32°31′11″N 16°30′27″W / 32.5197°N 16.5075°W / 32.5197; -16.5075