Hotel Sponsors Monk Seal Cub, calling for the preservation of the species

The Reid’s Palace Hotel in Madeira has reinforced its commitment to the conservation of the monk seal by adopting one of the five new cubs of this species in the archipelago. This sponsorship is part of a partnership with the Forest and Nature Conservation Institute (IFCN) and includes the promotion of awareness-raising activities among guests and staff, as well as the acquisition of equipment for the Monk Seal Conservation Status Monitoring Project, such as photographic and computer equipment.
The Zarco monk seal, inspired by the explorer João Gonçalves Zarco, is the hotel’s mascot and is featured on various amenities for children, such as backpacks, soft toys, colouring pencils, passport holders, luggage tags, and activities at the Kids’ Club. In addition, the hotel offers the “Voyage to the Desertas” experience, a boat trip to see the monk seals on the Desertas Islands.
The Regional Secretariat for Agriculture, Fisheries and the Environment emphasised the importance of partnerships like this to inform the population and visitors about proper interaction with monk seals, seeing that sightings have become more frequent in Madeira’s bathing areas.
The monk seal conservation programme, which began in the 1980s, has currently managed to increase the population of this species in the archipelago from just eight individuals to 30. The General Manager of Reid’s Palace, Ciriaco Campus, expressed the hotel’s pride in taking part in this initiative, emphasising its commitment to sustainability and the preservation of local biodiversity. He also Emphasised the hotel’s responsibility to support actions that guarantee a safe future for endangered species and to educate guests about the importance of conservation, promoting conscious and responsible tourism.