The Deserta Grande Island is the main island of the Desertas Islands, a small chain of islands in the archipelago of Madeira, located to the southeast of the island of Madeira. The island is a nature reserve with a manned base halfway along the western side. 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