Did you know that the most endangered seabird in Europe likes to spend long periods of time on the Portuguese coast? And that in one of our archipelagos lives the rarest seal in the world? And that the most predatory turtle species on the planet is also a mysterious visitor to our waters?
During the summer, the Observer will show some of the main players of our sea. Every Saturday in July and August, we will introduce you to a different species, in danger of extinction, that is present on the Portuguese coast. Some of them are even close to the beaches that we like the most, but far from our eyes. And also from our knowledge.
They are fish, birds, mammals, ferocious predators and frightened prey, endemic species or species that pass through here on their iconic and unknown migrations. A list chosen with the help of marine biologist Élio Vicente, director of the Zoomarine marine animal rehabilitation center in the Algarve. And, for each of these ten animals, we will also have the opinion of an expert who has been working and researching the species for a long time.
The selection was not easy. It was based, first of all, on the state of conservation, because only by getting to know animals in danger of extinction better can we contribute to their preservation. Diversity was taken into account. Not only in the family of species –fish, mammals, birds, invertebrates– but also in their geographical distribution throughout Portuguese territorial waters, from the mainland to the Azores and Madeira archipelagos. Finally, we also consider the uniqueness of the species and the curiosities that surround them.
Follow this new series and also learn about the consequences of pollution and climate change on Portuguese marine fauna.
Source: Observadora
