Portugal: Wild Land on the Edge

Overview

Portugal has a history that is deeply tied to its landscapes and wildlife. A unique breed of wild horses roams Portugal’s only national park, horses small and hardy enough to have accompanied Portuguese explorers on ocean voyages around the globe. Today, the seas off the west coast of Nazaré have become a mecca for surfers seeking the biggest waves in the world. Yet, beneath the surface, delicate seahorses cling to kelp beds, and endangered monk seals shelter in the protected bays of Portugal’s far-flung islands. On the red Mars-like landscapes of the Desertas Islands, the world’s largest wolf spider hunts lizards and sometimes, even its own kind. But the greatest wildlife spectacle here is the migration of millions of birds that stopover on their way from Scandinavia to Africa. Black-tailed godwits, pied avocets, vultures, and brightly colored flamingos rest and even stay the winter in this land at the very edge of Europe—a crossroads between north and south, land and sea.