Caracterização
A Reserva Natural da Serra da Malcata foi criada pelo Decreto-Lei n.º 294/81  de 16 de Outubro (com principal objectivo da conservação do lince ibérico, uma das espécies mais ameaçadas do mundo) e, reclassificada pelo Dercreto-Regulamentar n.º 28/99 de 30 de Novembro. Tem uma superfície de 16 348 hectares e a altitude varia entre os 425 e os 1078 metros.

Encontra-se localizada na Região Centro, mais precisamente na confluência das Beiras Baixa e Alta, estando delimitada a Leste pela Serra da Gata, na vizinha Espanha, tendo na sua periferia as Freguesias Penamacor, Meimoa e Meimão do Concelho de Penamacor, Distrito de Castelo Branco e as Freguesias Sabugal, Malcata, Quadrazais, Vale de Espinho e Fóios do Concelho de Sabugal, Distrito da Guarda.

A Sede desta Área Protegida está situada em Penamacor, tendo um Centro de Educação Ambiental no Sabugal.


Serra da Malcata Nature Reserve
The Malcata mountain, in Penamacor and Sabugal municipalities, reaches East towards the Spanish border, in a sequence of rounded Northeast-Southwest mountain tops. Its highest point is the geodesic landmark of Machoca (1078 m) and the lowest is the Bazágueda river (425 m). The Reserve’s vegetation is different in the North and Centre from the South. Main species of Malcata’s woods are: Pyrenean oak Quercus pyrenaica in the Northern part, and holm oak Quercus rotundifolia in the South.

Also very important is the rapacious communities associated to the main waterfronts (Côa river up North, Meimoa creek in the Centre and Bazágueda river in the South). The Nature Reserve was created with the main purpose of preserving a population of the most endangered feline in the world: the iberian lynx Lynx pardinus, together with its characteristic environment, the Mediterranean wood. There are other protected animal species in the Reserve, such as the black vulture Aegypius monachus, the black stork Ciconia nigra and the wild cat Felis sylvestris.

The economy of this area, poorly populated due to emigration, is based on subsistence agriculture, cattle-raising and forestry, bee-keeping and game industry. There is an impressive number of important monuments such as palaces, castles and bridges with a medieval style. This area holds rich popular and cultural traditions, such as gastronomy, religious feasts and bull fighting.