Mammals
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.
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.
Badger
Although being of medium size means it may resemble a dog, its white head covered with two black stripes from the tip of its snout to its ears is unmistakeable: it is indeed a badger (Meles meles). If you are still in doubt, its short white tail is also a distinctive feature of this species that exists in the wild in Portugal and throughout Europe.
