Otter returns to Sintra hills after decades-long absence – Portugal Resident

An otter has been spotted in the grounds of Pena Park, marking the first confirmed record of the species in the heart of the Sintra hills for several decades.

The animal was captured by a camera trap installed as part of a wildlife-monitoring project run by Parques de Sintra – the company responsible for the area’s parks and monuments.

Camera trapping uses automatic cameras triggered by movement and body heat, allowing researchers to observe wildlife with minimal disturbance.

Parques de Sintra chairman João Sousa Rego said it was not yet possible to determine whether the otter was living in the park, or simply passing through.

Either way, its appearance is encouraging.

“Regardless of that circumstance, its presence is an important biological indicator of the quality of the habitats in Pena Park and the good ecological condition of the ecosystems forming part of the Sintra Cultural Landscape and Sintra-Cascais Natural Park,” he said.

The same monitoring project has confirmed that several other largely nocturnal mammals regularly use parts of Pena Park and Tapada do Mouco. Camera traps recorded badgers, genets and foxes moving through the areas.

Parques de Sintra plans to invest €5 million in biodiversity and climate-resilience projects this year — twice the amount spent in 2025.

Sousa Rego said the investment would include scientific research needed to improve understanding of local ecosystems, assess whether conservation measures are working and support future management decisions.

The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) belongs to the mustelid family, which also includes badgers, weasels and martens. The species is found across western Europe, Asia and North Africa.

Otters remain present across much of mainland Portugal, but their existence deep inside the Serra de Sintra could not be confirmed, until the recent images.

Source: SIC Notícias/ Parques de Sintra