Ilha dos Lobos is a small island on the Atlantic

Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...

 coast of Torres, Rio Grande do Sul state in Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

.

Origin of the name

The island's name comes from the fur seals (Lobos marinhos in Portuguese) that are commonly observed on the island.

Island Environment Protection

The island is currently considered an Ecological Reserve

Nature reserve

A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...

 (according to Brazilian national system of conservation units) and is protected

Protected areas of Brazil

This is a list of protected areas of Brazil according to the National System of Conservation Units , a formal, unified system for federal, state and municipal parks created in 2000.-Biological Reserves:* Poço das Antas Biological Reserve...

 by federal laws. Visitors are not allowed to disembark without authorization.

Surf

This island has recently been discovered by the surfing community as a giant point break with proper conditions for Tow-in surfing

Tow-in surfing

Tow-in surfing is a surfing technique which uses artificial assistance to allow the surfer to catch faster moving waves than was traditionally possible when paddling by hand.-History:...

. Much of the effort to establish Ilha dos Lobos as an international class tow-in surf spot is credited to Torres Local Surf hero Zeca Scheffer, who died in a car crash in Dec 2006.

Diving

Although proper conditions are rare it is possible to dive around the island. There is a merchant ship wreck in the vicinity of the island.

External links

• Diving Obsession Torres - Outer Banks