Fauna
The little white-toothed shrew
Crocidura russula is considered the most common shrew in the Portuguese territory and holds the status of “Least Concern” (LC) according to the Red Book of Vertebrates of Portugal. It can be easily identified given its physical characteristics, in particular the size of its ears and, obviously, its white teeth, and is one of the residents of the Vale de Beja estate, managed by The Navigator Company. Should we get to know it better?
Montpellier snake, or simply the largest snake in Portugal
Known to be cold-blooded animals with sharp teeth, people have mixed feelings about snakes and many fear this species. Despite the fact that this is the largest snake in Portugal, of “Least Concern” (LC) conservation status under the Red Book of Vertebrates, the Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus) is actually harmless to humans.
Red deer in the Serra da Lousã mountains: example of a reintroduction programme
In the 1990s, red deer were extinct in the central interior region of Portugal. In 2022, this region has a population of over 3,000 Cervus elaphus. Behind this change was a programme for the reintroduction of red deer in the Serra da Lousã mountains, which biologist Carlos Fonseca was involved in from the beginning.
Identifying habitats and species in Navigator forests
The identification of new habitats and species in Navigator forests has been increasing steadily year on year, thanks to the implementation of the Annual Monitoring Programme. Find out how we carry out this work, which has already identified more than 240 species of fauna and 800 species and subspecies of flora, as well as multiple priority habitats for conservation.
From photo trapping to mist nets
How do we know which species exist in Portugal, in which regions they are found, and how abundant they are? Finding out this information in perfect detail for the whole of the country is an impossible task, but there are various approaches and types of equipment that help to identify which species occur in certain sampling areas. Learn about some examples of how mammals are detected; from photo trapping to mist nets.
