More and more, Portugal’s and Spain’s animals have been crossing borders and forming new habitats on the other country. A good example of this is the Iberian wolf, a big favourite of mine.

Personal bias apart, this big canine has seen his population cut short over the years.
Its sightings report it living mostly in northern Spain, Galiza to be exact, but some report it living in northern Portugal.

This wolf is actually the biggest of the wild canines, it possesses incredible strength in its hind legs and abdominal muscles, although it possesses longer forefront legs.
It possesses a strong and big head and a wide snout.
Its tail is a trademark feature, it being furry and always being positioned downward, not wagging even if the animal is moving.

This animal is rarely sighted itself, being a very stealthy nocturnal animal, but traces of its presence are not rare at all. These include mostly droppings, sets of footprints resembling a dog’s, but due to its pack mentality it usually is accompanied by other wolves, meaning more tracks.

This beast is so rarely seen that Portuguese laws prohibit its hunting, capture, habitat destruction or even any kind of deteriorating behaviour towards the wolfs themselves and their ecosystem. This law is especially strict during their mating period.

The increase in the number of wild dogs, and the destruction of its habitats as well as the increased hunting of its prey are what has driven this animal to near extinction.

Some info was adapted from the following site, to which I thank for cooperation:
http://carnivora.fc.ul.pt/lobo.htm