This is a list of mammals of Madeira, concerning the indigenous mammals of the Portuguese archipelago of Madeira in the North Atlantic ocean. Besides the mammals on the islands, the coastal waters 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.[1]

Conservation status listing and ranking system

The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature:

EXExtinctNo reasonable doubt that the last individual has died.
EWExtinct in the wildKnown only to survive in captivity or as a naturalized populations well outside its previous range.
CRCritically endangeredThe species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild.
ENEndangeredThe species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
VUVulnerableThe species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
NTNear threatenedThe species does not meet any of the criteria that would categorise it as risking extinction but it is likely to do so in the future.
LCLeast concernThere are no current identifiable risks to the species.
DDData deficientThere is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species.

Order: Chiroptera (bats)

The bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals capable of flight. Bat species account for about 20% of all mammals.

Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)

A Mediterranean monk seal resting on a slipway

Carnivorans include over 260 species, the majority of which eat meat as their primary dietary item. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.

Order: Cetacea (whales)

A Bryde's whale surfacing off Madeira during one of whale watching tours
A short-finned pilot whale breathing off Madeira
An Atlantic spotted dolphin swims near water surface off Madeira

The order Cetacea includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. They are the mammals most fully adapted to aquatic life with a spindle-shaped nearly hairless body, protected by a thick layer of blubber, and forelimbs and tail modified to provide propulsion underwater.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Hoyt, Erich (2005). Marine protected areas for whales, dolphins, and porpoises: a world handbook for cetacean habitat conservation. Earthscan. p. 202. ISBN 1-84407-064-6.

Further reading

William L. R. Oliver, ed. (1993). Pigs, peccaries and hippos: status survey and conservation action plan. IUCN. p. 53. ISBN 2-8317-0141-4.

Teixeira, Sérgio; Jesus, José (2009). "Echolocation Calls of Bats from Madeira Island: Acoustic Characterization and Implications for Surveys". Acta Chiropterologica. 11 (1): 183–190. doi:10.3161/150811009X465802.

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