Portugal
Portugal is the only other country on the Iberian peninsular, and has a significantly smaller population. However, being a smaller country the population density is actually very similar.
Like Spain, Portugal shares similar wildlife.
Wolf: Portugal has around 300 wolves on its territory, though they tend to cross the border quite happily. The last refuge of the wolf in this part of Europe was in the Sierra de Culebra and another reserve on the Portuguese side. The wolves are found in the North and the East of the country.
Bears: Bears roam slower, but are still known to travel large distances. Tracks have been found on a few occasions. When we were in the vicinity of the Sierra de Culebra, there was known to be around 4 bears in the area, and the idea that these would not roam into Portugal is foolish. Having said this, clearly even catching a glimpse of a bear in Portugal is currently a hard task for researchers, and so there is no bear tourism.
Lynx: There are currently thought to be around 140 Iberian Lynx within the country. There range encompasses around 500 square km.
There is a great deal of effort made to support the recovery of wolves lynx and bears in both countries and teams work across the borders.
We hope to add destinations for you to see these animals in the over time.
Portugal News
Greenland is loosing 30 million tonnes of ice per year.
- Tim
- April 13, 2024
The Greenland ice sheet is melting
The Greenland icesheet is vast, which can bee seen from this image, which had to be taken from space to show the scale.
Greenland…
Should wolf hunting return to Western Europe?
- Tim
- March 28, 2024
Wolves still exist in large…
As wildfires burn across much of Southern Europe, the political party running the UK backtracks on its commitments
- Tim
- August 1, 2023
Last Thursday, while wildfires raged in Greece, Italy, Tunisia, Portugal, Croatia and Algeria and British tourists found themselves being rescued by locals in boats (good boats, not those bringing people…
Update and Rainbow sea-slug found in rock pool
- Tim
- May 19, 2023
Sorry for the quiet over the last week, we have been working hard on improving various sides of the website. Firstly, you should find that the menu is easier to…
Devastating fire hits Sierra de Culebra
- Tim
- June 30, 2022
The Sierra de Culebra is a hunting reserve on the North East corner of Portugal, and across the border in Spain.
This hunting reserve was essential in saving the Iberian…
What is the actual population of the Iberian wolf?
- Tim
- December 20, 2021
Across the world many governments make money by allowing hunters to take a certain percentage of their population each year. In most countries this percentage is worked out carefully, so…
Are wolves breaking into new territory in Europe?
- Tim
- June 30, 2021
Yesterday, I was writing about a new wolf pack that had established itself in northern California – this is exciting, because wolves have only started recolonising California in the last…
The Cantabrian bear population continues to go from strength to strength
- Tim
- December 25, 2020
Back in 2015, my family and I visited the area that Cantabrian bears live in (this is in patches along the North and west of Spain. I was excited to…
The death of 3 Marsican bears
- Tim
- January 23, 2019
The bear in Europe is known to be an endangered animal. In much of Western Europe the bears only survive in mountains which people use less. While in Eastern Europe…
Predator recovery across Europe – Part 3 – Lynx
- Tim
- March 25, 2018
The Lynx is thought to number around 10,000 individuals across Europe. There are more smaller populations that have been created following reintroduction programmes so I will not break these down…Read More
