Desertas Islands Nature Reserve is situated in North Atlantic, next to Madeira Island, Portugal, at a distance of about 22 nautical miles, and is bounded by the 100 meters bathymetric contour line, including all the islands (Ilhéu Chão, Deserta Grande and Bugio), islets and respective maritime area. Due to their geographic location, isolation and difficult conditions for colonisation, they offer habitats that are representative and important for the conservation of the biodiversity of Macaronesia and the world; particularly for the endemism and species that are threatened and vulnerable on a world-wide scale, such as the Mediterranean monk seal, the Deserta’s petrel, the Deserta’s Musschia and many invertebrates. This gives Desertas Islands Nature Reserve a valuable terrestrial and marine natural heritage of great ecological and scientific value, as well as an unequalled landscape.

Therefore, since 1990, Desertas Islands are under of the Regional Government of Madeira administration and are classified as a Nature Reserve.