Machico beach on the island of Madeira was closed to the public on Tuesday following two incidents where swimmers were bitten by a monk seal.
The bites, while painful, were not considered serious. Authorities have cordoned off the area and issued a warning for swimmers to avoid the zone until the situation is assessed.
Monk seals are protected marine mammals and generally avoid contact with humans. The occurrence of bites is rare and may indicate the animal felt threatened or was protecting its territory.
