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(dramatic orchestral music)
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(insects chirruping)
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(gentle guitar music)
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Lagoons and rice paddies in Catalonia
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form a unique refuge for migratory, birds and rare species.
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But man has seized this land to cultivate it
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and exploit its precious resources.
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Wild species have therefore become endangered.
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Some are even close to extinction.
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Human settlement has disrupted this landscape
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and it's natural equilibrium.
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(gentle music continues)
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A team of experts has been considering different solutions
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that may help save the Ebro delta.
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(man speaks in foreign language)
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These are very vulnerable areas.
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Many people live here and the interaction
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between nature and society is very important.
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Nature and ecosystems evolve rapidly as does human activity.
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It is truly a living laboratory.
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(gentle guitar music)
(bubbles gurgle)
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In Spain, on the Mediterranean coast
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south of Barcelona, the Ebro river forms
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a delta used to grow rice.
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Some natural lake areas subsist.
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(music continues)
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These lagoons are located halfway
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between Africa and Northern Europe.
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They are used by migratory birds
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as a place to breed and feed.
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In the Ebro delta Nature Park the mission is clear,
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to preserve this haven of biodiversity.
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(birds warbling)
(reeds crackling)
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A salt plant operates in this protected area.
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It is taking the place of wild lagoons
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but is tolerated owing to its economic role.
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It's one of the most productive plants in Spain,
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especially in terms of fleur de sel.
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(birds squawking)
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Luckily the salt plants are not lost for all birds.
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(motor rumbling)
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They attract flamingos, which feed on crustaceans
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and red algae that dye their feathers.
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(birds squawking)
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(automobile creaking and rumbling)
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Albert Bertolero, an animal expert,
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works at the Ebro Delta Nature Park.
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He monitors flamingos, one of the rare birds
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to tolerate the salinity of the salt marshes.
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(birds chirping)
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(Albert speaks in Spanish)
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It's easy for them to find food here.
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It's also a very calm area
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where they can nest as a colony.
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(birds chirping)
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They travel a lot from here to the Camargue,
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Southern Spain and Northern Africa.
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Every year we ring the chicks.
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There are many flamingos in the Ebro delta.
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Up to 3,000 pairs live here.
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The park officer's mission is to preserve
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these iconic animals.
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They're young, unable to yet to fly.
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Are easily captured for the purposes of cataloging
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and ringing in order to then be monitored.
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(group chattering and laughing)
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Winter is coming to an end.
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The land surrounding the Ebro is thirsty
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and seems rather inhospitable to any form of life.
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(wind howls)
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(water rushes)
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Three times smaller than the Rhone delta in Southern France,
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The Ebro delta is used to grow rice.
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This elaborate network of canals
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combined with the Catalonian sun guarantees good crops.
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This fresh water plays a crucial role.
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(water burbling)
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It applies pressure on the saline groundwater
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which has seeped in from the sea.
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These seeds don't tolerate salt.
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And it's precisely thanks to this fresh water
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that rice can grow.
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(motor rumbles)
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The birds arrive swiftly.
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They leave their wild habitats to come and feed
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in the rice paddies where the microorganisms
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are awoken by the fresh water and plowing.
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(birds chirping)
(motor roaring)
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The sown rice is a blessing.
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There is abundant grain and it's easy to pick at.
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(gentle music)
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The Ebro delta birds are a problem for farmers
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who are not allowed to shoot these protected species.
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And shots fired into the air do not scare them off.
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(gently rhythmic music)
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The Ebro Delta Nature Park provides solutions
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to reassure the rice farmers.
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Here the land is regularly devastated by the flamingos
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but a crucial element could save the day.
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Blue light scares them off.
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Xavier Porres, a park officer provides Luis Catalan,
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with special material to protect his seedlings.
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(Luis speaks in Spanish)
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One day I had to start over
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with the seedlings.
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I was furious.
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As you know, they come to my fields almost every year.
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That's why I need you to install the lights
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and stop them from coming.
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(Xavier speaks in Spanish)
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Through this problem
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I've made many friends all around the delta.
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[Interpreter] It's strange that they always
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come to this field, this here is the delta boundary.
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Over there there's a road, the mountains.
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I don't understand what attracts them here.
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(Xavier speaks Spanish)
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It depends on whether
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there are natural areas, more or less food or urban centers.
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There are many possible reasons.
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Xavier Porres installs
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approximately 20 flashing lights
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in the affected rice paddies.
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Will they be enough to scare off the birds?
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(wings flapping)
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The flamingos are not however, changing their habits.
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Like every other evening during the sowing period
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they leave behind their wild lagoons,
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attracted by the acres of recently flooded rice paddies.
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(birds chirping)
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(motor grumbles)
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Xavier Porres keeps watch until late in the night.
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It's the only way to contain the farmers' anger
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towards the flamingos.
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(Xavier speaks Spanish)
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They most likely
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come from the delta split or from the lagoons.
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They're looking for food and are heading to Luis' land.
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We're going to head there ourselves to monitor them.
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They aren't far.
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Despite its best efforts,
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the Ebro Delta Nature Park admits
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with regret that accidents do happen.
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A care center has been built for killed or injured birds.
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(people speak in Spanish)
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Laura Fortuno, a veterinary technician,
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is this time confirming a death.
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But when possible she cares for the injured birds
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in the hope of releasing them
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after a period of convalescence.
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Unfortunately most of them end up permanently disabled.
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They will spend the rest of their lives in the aviary,
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away from predators and gunshots.
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(birds honking)
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(Laura speaks in Spanish)
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This one has an amputated wing.
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One of the flamingos, the one with the dangling wing,
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arrived with a fracture after having been shot at
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by a hunter.
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Yet this species is protected
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and it is prohibited to hunt them.
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But they do cause a lot of damage
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in the rice paddies during the sowing.
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Which is why some people mean them harm.
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Here are some Audouin's Gulls.
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The one with a bandage is on the mend.
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This other gull is awaiting release.
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The others have been traumatized after colliding with cars.
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The SEO/BirdLife association's
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organic farm is exploring peaceful solutions
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to enable farmers and migratory birds to co-exist.
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With the help of young volunteers, Sebastian Chano,
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an old fashioned farmer is preparing his seeds
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which he keeps out of reach of the birds
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during the germination phase.
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(Sebastian speaks in Spanish)
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There are little dots you see?
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This rice is already fermented, not entirely, about 60%.
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Now take the rice, it needs to be spread evenly.
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Look at that.
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My word, you know how to sow rice.
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This rice is very tasty in a paella.
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We'll transplant it to the field
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we've prepared for that purpose.
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A lot of water is needed.
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(water trickles)
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Rice, animals and even weeds,
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We feed them well.
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Look at these plants.
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They're alive because the earth is alive.
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But if we spray nasty chemicals again and again.
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More and more on the rice and weeds,
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we're also killing the earth.
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(reeds rustle)
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As you can see here to the water's coming
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and also the birds are coming.
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Before the water wasn't there.
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And also the birds weren't here.
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So now they have water and it's a perfect living for them.
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The association's untreated land
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is healthier and richer.
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Now it's a question of protecting the rice
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from being devoured by greedy birds,
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such as the western swamphen.
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Sofia Rivaes, an animal expert makes the most
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of the association's land to study this bird.
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She is looking at how to limit
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the damage it causes to crops.
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(Sofia speaks in Spanish)
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It feeds on various invertebrates,
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tubers and the soft part of plants.
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It grabs hold of them, cuts them and eats that part,
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be it a reed or a rice plant.
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If there is rice it gets eaten.
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(birds chattering and squawking)
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When a bird causes agricultural damage,
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we can conduct an investigation
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and try to avoid it happening again.
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But if it persists, the authorities offer compensation.
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That way we avoid the farmers aversion to these species.
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In summer, the swamphens move away from natural areas,
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towards the rice paddies.
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This is what we have observed
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through monitoring them with radio tracking.
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Swamphens haven't always
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been considered a pest.
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In ancient Greece they were appreciated
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for their colors and quasi-human behavior.
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A legend praised their loyalty.
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And according to Aristotle,
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they might even have been domesticated.
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(gentle orchestral music)
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A species can therefore go from boon to bane,
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depending on the interests of the era.
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Much to the joy of ornithologists,
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the SEO/BirdLife association has converted
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an old rice paddy into a lagoon.
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It now welcomes all sorts of birds,
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such as terns, egrets and avocets.
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(gentle music continues)
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From the sky, the Ebro delta is reminiscent
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of a two-finned to marine mammal.
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These fins are actually sand banks
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created by the currents.
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They harbor bays and a biological treasure
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of the greatest interest for biodiversity,
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(anchor splashes)
mother of pearl shells.
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These giant muscles can one meter, 50 in deep water.
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Here they thrive, whereas elsewhere
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they are attacked by disease.
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Patricia Prado, is a biologist specialized
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in the study and safeguarding of mother of pearl shells.
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(Patricia speaks in Spanish)
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Here we are in a sandy area.
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Mother of pearl shells are the only solid support
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for many organisms that can cling to them
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as they do on rocks.
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They are a species native to the Mediterranean
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and are in danger.
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Protecting them is vital.
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(man speaks is Spanish)
(water lapping)
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Potential harmful agricultural effluents
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flow into the bay.
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Patricia marks the mother of pearl shells
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to monitor their health and that of associated organisms
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such as sea urchins.
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(water gurgles)
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Tube worms have settled on this one and filter the plankton.
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(water splashes and gurgles)
270
00:16:04,328 --> 00:16:05,660
(Patricia speaks in Spanish)
271
00:16:05,660 --> 00:16:07,500
They form the natural Habitat
272
00:16:07,500 --> 00:16:09,083
of numerous organisms.
273
00:16:10,850 --> 00:16:13,463
Here are some green algae and anemones.
274
00:16:14,310 --> 00:16:16,440
Sometimes there are even sponges
275
00:16:16,440 --> 00:16:18,763
and here a fish is living inside.
276
00:16:21,570 --> 00:16:24,010
There you have snakelocks anemones
277
00:16:24,010 --> 00:16:26,400
which are very typical of the region.
278
00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:28,583
You can eat them in many restaurants.
279
00:16:31,550 --> 00:16:34,220
Mother of pearl shells are a bit like a forest
280
00:16:34,220 --> 00:16:38,375
in which a number of plants and organisms can develop.
281
00:16:38,375 --> 00:16:43,375
(man speaks in Spanish)
(water splashing)
282
00:16:43,420 --> 00:16:46,173
In the past, the Romans used them to make buttons.
283
00:16:50,050 --> 00:16:52,050
Mother of pearl shells are endangered
284
00:16:52,050 --> 00:16:53,930
in the Mediterranean.
285
00:16:53,930 --> 00:16:55,830
They're being kept under observation
286
00:16:55,830 --> 00:16:58,560
in this laboratory, which has been specially fitted
287
00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:00,923
to protect them from a deadly parasite.
288
00:17:05,436 --> 00:17:07,318
(Patricia speaks in Spanish)
289
00:17:07,318 --> 00:17:10,040
Interpreter] We are preserving individuals as a precaution
290
00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:12,010
against the risk of the arrival
291
00:17:12,010 --> 00:17:15,863
of the haplosporidian parasite on the Catalan coast.
292
00:17:17,130 --> 00:17:19,580
It is already present in many places
293
00:17:19,580 --> 00:17:23,310
but so far the Alfacs Bay in the Ebro delta
294
00:17:23,310 --> 00:17:24,863
has not been affected.
295
00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:30,700
This is a genetic reserve.
296
00:17:30,700 --> 00:17:33,100
We are trying to get the mother of pearl shells
297
00:17:33,100 --> 00:17:36,540
to reproduce so that we can then reintroduce them
298
00:17:36,540 --> 00:17:37,723
into the bay.
299
00:17:40,657 --> 00:17:43,407
(water splashes)
300
00:17:44,550 --> 00:17:47,217
(water bubbles)
301
00:17:50,345 --> 00:17:52,230
The Ebro Delta Nature Park
302
00:17:52,230 --> 00:17:55,120
takes great care of its aquatic species.
303
00:17:55,120 --> 00:17:58,530
These technicians ensure the breeding of rare fish
304
00:17:58,530 --> 00:18:01,753
in order to strengthen their populations in the wild.
305
00:18:03,945 --> 00:18:06,528
(gentle music)
306
00:18:08,420 --> 00:18:11,560
Some are facing extinction on a global scale
307
00:18:11,560 --> 00:18:13,610
like the Valencia killifish.
308
00:18:13,610 --> 00:18:15,600
It's a freshwater fish that can tolerate
309
00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:17,660
a certain level of salinity.
310
00:18:17,660 --> 00:18:20,590
Its lifespan is only one year.
311
00:18:20,590 --> 00:18:23,230
Pollution and the destruction of its habitat
312
00:18:23,230 --> 00:18:25,433
have decimated its populations.
313
00:18:28,123 --> 00:18:33,123
(water gurgling)
(somber music)
314
00:18:33,300 --> 00:18:35,890
Esther Font, a technician at the center
315
00:18:35,890 --> 00:18:40,094
for the study of fish has been eagerly awaiting this moment.
316
00:18:40,094 --> 00:18:42,540
(Esther speaks in Spanish)
317
00:18:42,540 --> 00:18:44,350
It's very satisfying for us
318
00:18:44,350 --> 00:18:46,440
to witness their development.
319
00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:49,013
From the egg stage, to the moment we release them.
320
00:18:50,505 --> 00:18:52,530
It's as if they were our children.
321
00:18:52,530 --> 00:18:55,670
Every day we feed them, look after them
322
00:18:55,670 --> 00:18:58,703
and change their water until we free them.
323
00:19:03,270 --> 00:19:08,020
We are in the most natural part of the delta.
324
00:19:08,020 --> 00:19:10,630
They can have a good life in this very clean water
325
00:19:11,650 --> 00:19:13,850
which comes from those mountains over there.
326
00:19:15,704 --> 00:19:20,140
(gently upbeat orchestral music)
327
00:19:20,140 --> 00:19:23,300
Clean water is rare in the Ebro delta.
328
00:19:23,300 --> 00:19:25,430
The canals are irrigating the rice paddies,
329
00:19:25,430 --> 00:19:27,970
used to host a rich aquatic fauna.
330
00:19:27,970 --> 00:19:30,910
But today they have been covered in concrete,
331
00:19:30,910 --> 00:19:33,255
polluted or drained.
332
00:19:33,255 --> 00:19:36,710
(tractor rumbles)
(music continues)
333
00:19:36,710 --> 00:19:40,583
Fortunately some canals subsist in their natural state.
334
00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:44,840
These canals are of particular interest
335
00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:47,420
to environmental conservation specialists,
336
00:19:47,420 --> 00:19:49,863
such as Miguel Angel and his team.
337
00:19:50,840 --> 00:19:53,220
These naiads or freshwater mussels
338
00:19:53,220 --> 00:19:54,610
have a unique cycle.
339
00:19:54,610 --> 00:19:57,000
Their larvae parasitize fish
340
00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:59,848
which then helps them colonize the canals.
341
00:19:59,848 --> 00:20:00,900
(Miguel speaks in Spanish)
342
00:20:00,900 --> 00:20:03,050
This type of naiad is very rare.
343
00:20:03,050 --> 00:20:06,150
In this part of the delta where the ground water rises
344
00:20:06,150 --> 00:20:10,000
a permanent fauna can be found in the canals all year round.
345
00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:11,930
For there to be naiads in a canal
346
00:20:11,930 --> 00:20:16,210
the water must remain clean for 15, 20, 30 years.
347
00:20:16,210 --> 00:20:19,510
That's why the survival of these shells is no easy matter,
348
00:20:19,510 --> 00:20:20,810
particularly in the delta.
349
00:20:24,902 --> 00:20:28,069
(gently upbeat music)
350
00:20:32,710 --> 00:20:34,520
Another freshwater jewel
351
00:20:34,520 --> 00:20:36,920
are these lagoon's old rice paddies
352
00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:40,293
or salt plants returned to their natural state.
353
00:20:41,230 --> 00:20:44,450
Horses ensure the trimming to keep the water clear,
354
00:20:44,450 --> 00:20:46,773
which is needed for all lake species.
355
00:20:48,270 --> 00:20:50,890
Though fishing was allowed for a long time,
356
00:20:50,890 --> 00:20:53,380
these waters nearly saw the extinction
357
00:20:53,380 --> 00:20:57,293
of the testudo turtle, a species endangered in Europe.
358
00:20:59,880 --> 00:21:03,810
Every year, Albert Bertolero draws up an inventory
359
00:21:03,810 --> 00:21:06,440
of these turtles to see if they are efficiently
360
00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:08,183
recolonizing the area.
361
00:21:09,132 --> 00:21:12,549
(gentle music continues)
362
00:21:22,940 --> 00:21:24,850
He's installing the same nets
363
00:21:24,850 --> 00:21:27,210
the fishermen used in the past.
364
00:21:27,210 --> 00:21:30,320
The same nets in which the turtles would drown
365
00:21:30,320 --> 00:21:31,423
for lack of oxygen.
366
00:21:40,974 --> 00:21:41,878
(Albert speaks in Spanish)
367
00:21:41,878 --> 00:21:43,206
You always have to leave some of it
368
00:21:43,206 --> 00:21:45,140
out of the water for the turtles
369
00:21:45,140 --> 00:21:47,040
so that they can breathe in the traps.
370
00:21:48,650 --> 00:21:50,713
Adult turtles eat crayfish,
371
00:21:50,713 --> 00:21:53,193
but big crayfish can eat baby turtles.
372
00:21:57,380 --> 00:21:59,250
Product of globalization,
373
00:21:59,250 --> 00:22:01,510
the invasive California crayfish
374
00:22:01,510 --> 00:22:03,653
is now competing with the turtles.
375
00:22:05,490 --> 00:22:08,720
(boots squelching)
376
00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:12,063
Albert receives help from the park's care center team.
377
00:22:13,050 --> 00:22:15,850
New generations of turtles are being raised
378
00:22:15,850 --> 00:22:18,490
for reintroduction into the wild.
379
00:22:18,490 --> 00:22:21,380
They are marked with a number which is then replaced
380
00:22:21,380 --> 00:22:24,833
by an electronic chip to help identify them later on.
381
00:22:32,930 --> 00:22:35,400
They won't be able to start reproducing
382
00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:38,323
until they are aged between four and seven.
383
00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:42,860
Albert will be seeing them again when they are adults.
384
00:22:42,860 --> 00:22:47,160
Their reintroduction since 2006 has been a success.
385
00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:49,330
85% have survived.
386
00:22:49,330 --> 00:22:52,633
And there are today around 500 of them in the lagoon.
387
00:22:53,534 --> 00:22:55,060
(Albert speaks in Spanish)
388
00:22:55,060 --> 00:22:57,940
Fishing is forbidden in this lagoon.
389
00:22:57,940 --> 00:23:00,010
This means that they no longer risk drowning
390
00:23:00,010 --> 00:23:01,650
in the fishermen's traps,
391
00:23:01,650 --> 00:23:04,300
which was one of the causes of their near extinction.
392
00:23:07,336 --> 00:23:12,336
(water gurgles)
(reeds crackle)
393
00:23:20,174 --> 00:23:22,757
(gentle music)
394
00:23:32,780 --> 00:23:36,400
Be they turtles, birds, shells or fish,
395
00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:39,100
all these species contribute to the delicate
396
00:23:39,100 --> 00:23:43,070
ecological equilibrium of the Ebro delta.
397
00:23:43,070 --> 00:23:46,080
Their conservation is an arduous task
398
00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:49,730
which only real enthusiasts, such as Albert Bertolero
399
00:23:49,730 --> 00:23:53,523
and his colleagues can ensure through constant involvement.
400
00:23:54,757 --> 00:23:56,416
(music ends)
(cicadas chirrup)
401
00:23:56,416 --> 00:23:57,249
(Albert speaks in Spanish)
402
00:23:57,249 --> 00:23:58,670
We're heading towards the dunes
403
00:23:58,670 --> 00:24:00,870
which are home to the Mediterranean turtles.
404
00:24:03,696 --> 00:24:05,007
They're yellow and black,
405
00:24:05,007 --> 00:24:09,170
but aren't always very visible and hide in the bushes.
406
00:24:09,170 --> 00:24:12,273
We'll search for them with the help of my dog, Nesca.
407
00:24:13,343 --> 00:24:18,343
(cicadas chirrup)
(grass crackles)
408
00:24:19,610 --> 00:24:22,940
Here are some turtle tracks, two parallel lines.
409
00:24:22,940 --> 00:24:25,160
You can see the direction they follow.
410
00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:27,804
This particular turtle was heading to the right.
411
00:24:27,804 --> 00:24:28,637
(dog pants)
412
00:24:28,637 --> 00:24:30,610
Unlike aquatic turtles,
413
00:24:30,610 --> 00:24:34,430
land turtles are not native to the Ebro delta.
414
00:24:34,430 --> 00:24:36,910
Their natural habitat has been destroyed
415
00:24:36,910 --> 00:24:38,380
on the continent.
416
00:24:38,380 --> 00:24:41,540
Here at the protected sandy delta spit
417
00:24:41,540 --> 00:24:43,440
they can thrive.
418
00:24:43,440 --> 00:24:45,410
Albert Bertolero is checking
419
00:24:45,410 --> 00:24:46,810
whether they are adapting well
420
00:24:46,810 --> 00:24:48,583
to this arid environment.
421
00:24:51,159 --> 00:24:54,540
(Albert speaks in Spanish)
422
00:24:54,540 --> 00:24:56,790
This turtle weighs 600 grams.
423
00:25:02,370 --> 00:25:04,990
It's weight provides information on its health,
424
00:25:04,990 --> 00:25:06,240
on whether it rains enough
425
00:25:06,240 --> 00:25:09,337
and whether there are enough plants for it to eat.
426
00:25:11,529 --> 00:25:13,200
Here conditions are difficult.
427
00:25:13,200 --> 00:25:16,133
These are dune plants and turtles only eat some of them.
428
00:25:17,889 --> 00:25:20,306
(dog whines)
429
00:25:24,220 --> 00:25:26,660
These plants like samphire,
430
00:25:26,660 --> 00:25:28,920
have a high salt concentration
431
00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:32,730
which is not necessarily to the taste of the turtles.
432
00:25:32,730 --> 00:25:35,260
But it's no bad thing for rare plants
433
00:25:35,260 --> 00:25:37,853
which botanists are seeking to preserve.
434
00:25:38,849 --> 00:25:39,870
(Albert speaks in Spanish)
435
00:25:39,870 --> 00:25:41,243
This plant is rare,
436
00:25:41,243 --> 00:25:43,023
it's a protected species.
437
00:25:44,310 --> 00:25:46,810
It's only found in the southern part of the delta.
438
00:25:51,481 --> 00:25:54,064
(gentle music)
439
00:25:55,530 --> 00:25:58,310
In the Ebro delta natural areas
440
00:25:58,310 --> 00:25:59,830
have become scarce.
441
00:25:59,830 --> 00:26:02,830
The vegetation was cleared during the last century
442
00:26:02,830 --> 00:26:04,913
in order to create rice paddies.
443
00:26:06,130 --> 00:26:10,110
A narrow slither of forest survives in its original state
444
00:26:10,110 --> 00:26:11,793
along the Ebro banks.
445
00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:15,850
Sofia Rivaes, the expert in the regulation
446
00:26:15,850 --> 00:26:18,710
of species, wishes to preserve it
447
00:26:18,710 --> 00:26:21,670
for its botanical interest and as a home
448
00:26:21,670 --> 00:26:24,563
for the wildlife displaced by the rice paddies.
449
00:26:25,547 --> 00:26:27,365
(Sofia speaks in Spanish)
450
00:26:27,365 --> 00:26:28,760
This is a tamarisk.
451
00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:32,320
It is very well suited to saline soils
452
00:26:32,320 --> 00:26:34,420
and even secretes salt through its leaves.
453
00:26:36,880 --> 00:26:38,680
If you place one in your mouth,
454
00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:40,313
you can taste its saltiness.
455
00:26:43,110 --> 00:26:46,210
This forest is tiny and the park officials
456
00:26:46,210 --> 00:26:49,053
are helping it fulfill its role as a refuge.
457
00:26:50,158 --> 00:26:51,680
(Sofia speaks in Spanish)
458
00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:54,660
Here is a bird house for the sparrows.
459
00:26:54,660 --> 00:26:57,150
Now and again, we come with a ladder to check
460
00:26:57,150 --> 00:26:59,690
whether there are any fledglings.
461
00:26:59,690 --> 00:27:02,883
Sometimes we ring them before putting the bird house back.
462
00:27:12,520 --> 00:27:15,760
Everywhere else the trees have been felled.
463
00:27:15,760 --> 00:27:18,500
But by removing them, the farmers have chased away
464
00:27:18,500 --> 00:27:21,470
natural allies that could be of use.
465
00:27:21,470 --> 00:27:25,163
The park officials must find new tricks to win them back.
466
00:27:33,990 --> 00:27:36,560
Xavier Porres has made a pact with the farmers
467
00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:39,780
to give back its place to one of the most useful animals
468
00:27:39,780 --> 00:27:42,138
in biological control.
469
00:27:42,138 --> 00:27:46,578
(Xavier speaks in Spanish)
(door bangs)
470
00:27:46,578 --> 00:27:49,828
(men speak in Spanish)
471
00:27:54,625 --> 00:27:57,125
There are two.
472
00:27:58,667 --> 00:28:03,167
They're moving, little by little others will come too.
473
00:28:04,380 --> 00:28:07,620
These bats can save the rice paddies.
474
00:28:07,620 --> 00:28:10,023
Xavier pampers them so they feel safe.
475
00:28:11,680 --> 00:28:13,110
In terms of construction
476
00:28:13,110 --> 00:28:14,533
I opt for simplicity.
477
00:28:15,560 --> 00:28:17,070
They can come in through here,
478
00:28:17,070 --> 00:28:19,410
this natural cement box is the most common.
479
00:28:19,410 --> 00:28:21,940
With only 15 millimeters of space
480
00:28:21,940 --> 00:28:23,870
through which to come in and out.
481
00:28:23,870 --> 00:28:25,037
That's enough.
482
00:28:26,342 --> 00:28:27,175
(farmer speaks in Spanish)
483
00:28:27,175 --> 00:28:29,805
That way no predator can get in.
484
00:28:29,805 --> 00:28:32,830
(men speak in Spanish)
485
00:28:32,830 --> 00:28:35,430
This moth attacks rice plants.
486
00:28:35,430 --> 00:28:38,333
And everything it touches ends up rotting.
487
00:28:39,670 --> 00:28:41,203
You have to use pesticides.
488
00:28:42,950 --> 00:28:45,410
If these boxes can help control this pest
489
00:28:45,410 --> 00:28:47,163
in a more natural way?
490
00:28:48,700 --> 00:28:49,683
That works for me.
491
00:28:53,944 --> 00:28:56,810
(solemn music)
492
00:28:56,810 --> 00:28:58,590
When the rice sets seed
493
00:28:58,590 --> 00:29:01,090
the invasive moth attacks.
494
00:29:01,090 --> 00:29:04,503
At night clouds of them invade the rice paddies.
495
00:29:08,110 --> 00:29:11,373
Fortunately bats find them rather tasty.
496
00:29:12,250 --> 00:29:15,933
A single bat can capture more than a 100 moths per night.
497
00:29:16,870 --> 00:29:18,980
Mission accomplished.
498
00:29:18,980 --> 00:29:22,433
The bats have returned, thanks to the refuge boxes.
499
00:29:23,960 --> 00:29:26,210
Xavier Porres takes advantage of this
500
00:29:26,210 --> 00:29:28,820
to closely examine one of the rare species
501
00:29:28,820 --> 00:29:30,463
of migratory pipistrelle.
502
00:29:34,733 --> 00:29:36,930
(Xavier speaks in Spanish)
503
00:29:36,930 --> 00:29:38,330
They're becoming agitated
504
00:29:38,330 --> 00:29:39,393
and want to come out.
505
00:29:43,080 --> 00:29:46,850
At this time of year when the Ebro delta begins to flood
506
00:29:46,850 --> 00:29:48,720
we notice that the females come together
507
00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:50,823
with the males in the refuge boxes.
508
00:29:53,110 --> 00:29:55,210
We don't know their migration routes well.
509
00:29:58,210 --> 00:30:00,260
For example, do they search for shelter
510
00:30:00,260 --> 00:30:01,970
along the Mediterranean coast
511
00:30:01,970 --> 00:30:04,323
before finally ending up in Germany?
512
00:30:06,490 --> 00:30:08,699
Further study is required.
513
00:30:08,699 --> 00:30:11,170
(equipment clicks)
514
00:30:11,170 --> 00:30:12,910
Xavier has marked the bats
515
00:30:12,910 --> 00:30:15,053
in order to study their movements.
516
00:30:16,317 --> 00:30:17,800
(Xavier speaks in Spanish)
517
00:30:17,800 --> 00:30:20,400
I'm really happy to hear the signal.
518
00:30:22,967 --> 00:30:26,270
Xavier Porres has caused for celebration.
519
00:30:26,270 --> 00:30:29,910
The bats come back every spring to fulfill their role
520
00:30:29,910 --> 00:30:32,923
as predators of undesirable insects.
521
00:30:33,828 --> 00:30:36,745
(equipment clicks)
522
00:30:42,400 --> 00:30:44,740
There is however another enemy
523
00:30:44,740 --> 00:30:46,350
that is much harder to fight
524
00:30:46,350 --> 00:30:47,903
than the harmful insects.
525
00:30:49,487 --> 00:30:52,070
(somber music)
526
00:30:52,920 --> 00:30:55,350
It spends a winter under ground.
527
00:30:55,350 --> 00:30:58,710
And every spring the water from the rice paddies
528
00:30:58,710 --> 00:31:00,703
gives it a new lease on life.
529
00:31:02,145 --> 00:31:05,562
(somber music continues)
530
00:31:19,452 --> 00:31:22,870
(water trickles)
531
00:31:22,870 --> 00:31:27,320
This enemy is the apple snail, an invasive mollusk
532
00:31:27,320 --> 00:31:28,733
native to Argentina.
533
00:31:29,887 --> 00:31:33,200
(solemn chiming music)
534
00:31:33,200 --> 00:31:37,510
It devours all plants and rice in particular.
535
00:31:37,510 --> 00:31:40,520
When food starts to run out, it eats the algae
536
00:31:40,520 --> 00:31:43,483
that grow on the shells of its fellow snails.
537
00:31:46,380 --> 00:31:48,930
It has both lungs and gills
538
00:31:48,930 --> 00:31:52,423
which enabled it to breathe on land and underwater.
539
00:31:54,020 --> 00:31:57,380
It even has a snorkel to get oxygen from the surface
540
00:31:57,380 --> 00:32:00,963
which is useful in polluted or oxygen-poor water.
541
00:32:02,459 --> 00:32:07,459
(water gurgles)
(music continues)
542
00:32:19,070 --> 00:32:22,010
The apple snail was involuntarily released
543
00:32:22,010 --> 00:32:26,140
from a recreational aquaculture center in 2013.
544
00:32:26,140 --> 00:32:28,420
The canals enabled it to colonize
545
00:32:28,420 --> 00:32:30,560
the rice paddies in the north.
546
00:32:30,560 --> 00:32:33,123
And it now appears in the south too.
547
00:32:34,620 --> 00:32:37,380
Pesticides have failed to get rid of them.
548
00:32:37,380 --> 00:32:40,120
The team in charge of monitoring biodiversity
549
00:32:40,120 --> 00:32:41,710
finds them everywhere.
550
00:32:41,710 --> 00:32:43,770
It's obliged to destroy them
551
00:32:43,770 --> 00:32:46,358
even if they keep coming back.
552
00:32:46,358 --> 00:32:47,191
(woman speaks in Spanish)
553
00:32:47,191 --> 00:32:49,443
There we have some apple snail eggs.
554
00:32:57,450 --> 00:33:00,680
The apple snails reproduce very quickly.
555
00:33:00,680 --> 00:33:04,223
No predator eats their eggs because they are toxic.
556
00:33:10,780 --> 00:33:14,420
Miguel Angel, a freshwater conservation specialist,
557
00:33:14,420 --> 00:33:17,083
has never managed to get rid of this invader.
558
00:33:17,987 --> 00:33:19,020
(Miguel speaks in Spanish)
559
00:33:19,020 --> 00:33:20,520
The biggest snail we ever found
560
00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:22,850
was around 12 centimeters.
561
00:33:22,850 --> 00:33:25,090
These snails can crawl along the ground
562
00:33:25,090 --> 00:33:27,330
almost like land snails.
563
00:33:27,330 --> 00:33:30,260
If you take them out of the water and place them elsewhere,
564
00:33:30,260 --> 00:33:32,540
they're capable of traveling long distances
565
00:33:32,540 --> 00:33:33,993
to get back to the water.
566
00:33:35,020 --> 00:33:38,130
With regard to the rice, in proportion to their size,
567
00:33:38,130 --> 00:33:41,562
it's the smallest ones that have the biggest appetite.
568
00:33:41,562 --> 00:33:44,145
(somber music)
569
00:33:45,976 --> 00:33:49,309
(motor rumbles faintly)
570
00:33:50,960 --> 00:33:54,113
Apple snails are a rice farmer's nightmare.
571
00:33:55,260 --> 00:33:57,843
(motor whines)
572
00:34:05,030 --> 00:34:07,790
Like many before him, Artrea Buera,
573
00:34:07,790 --> 00:34:09,300
has done everything he can
574
00:34:09,300 --> 00:34:10,600
to try to get rid of them.
575
00:34:13,697 --> 00:34:15,480
(Artrea speaks in Spanish)
576
00:34:15,480 --> 00:34:16,840
The most dangerous ones
577
00:34:16,840 --> 00:34:19,170
are about this size or even smaller.
578
00:34:19,170 --> 00:34:20,823
They are insatiable.
579
00:34:21,860 --> 00:34:24,703
This one looks dead, but is in fact still alive.
580
00:34:28,210 --> 00:34:29,850
They are very agile and climb
581
00:34:29,850 --> 00:34:32,520
one on the top of the other to reach the plant
582
00:34:32,520 --> 00:34:33,770
and make it bend.
583
00:34:33,770 --> 00:34:36,890
Then they eat the entire rice plant.
584
00:34:36,890 --> 00:34:39,380
Once the soft parts have disappeared
585
00:34:39,380 --> 00:34:42,230
they start attacking the harder parts.
586
00:34:42,230 --> 00:34:43,693
They destroy everything.
587
00:34:51,440 --> 00:34:53,743
We have come up with a siphon system.
588
00:34:54,590 --> 00:34:56,820
The snail moves forward with the current
589
00:34:56,820 --> 00:34:59,020
and enters through a gutter.
590
00:34:59,020 --> 00:35:02,330
It becomes trapped, it ends up without water
591
00:35:02,330 --> 00:35:05,153
or humidity and can no longer move forward.
592
00:35:08,010 --> 00:35:10,690
This way we can reduce their number.
593
00:35:10,690 --> 00:35:12,670
We don't have a choice but to adapt
594
00:35:12,670 --> 00:35:14,993
in order to survive alongside them.
595
00:35:18,090 --> 00:35:21,210
This year Artrea Buera is attempting to sow
596
00:35:21,210 --> 00:35:25,296
in dry conditions to avoid awakening the snails.
597
00:35:25,296 --> 00:35:27,963
(motor rumbles)
598
00:35:33,590 --> 00:35:35,670
His rice can sprout safely,
599
00:35:35,670 --> 00:35:37,713
out of reach of the invaders.
600
00:35:38,760 --> 00:35:41,820
His friend, Carlos Fornos, a seed man,
601
00:35:41,820 --> 00:35:43,833
is also promoting dry sowing.
602
00:35:45,270 --> 00:35:47,540
The snails need to eat.
603
00:35:47,540 --> 00:35:49,070
They eat everything they find.
604
00:35:49,070 --> 00:35:51,933
When the rice is gone, they go for the weeds.
605
00:35:54,100 --> 00:35:56,903
They destroy entire fields.
606
00:35:58,800 --> 00:36:00,330
If they ate only weeds
607
00:36:00,330 --> 00:36:02,780
they could become our allies in the rice paddies.
608
00:36:04,830 --> 00:36:06,730
For that though, we'd have to make the rice
609
00:36:06,730 --> 00:36:09,183
germinate separately, outside the paddy.
610
00:36:12,460 --> 00:36:13,820
Greenhouse germination
611
00:36:13,820 --> 00:36:15,980
is another possible method of countering
612
00:36:15,980 --> 00:36:18,633
the devastating effect of apple snails.
613
00:36:20,150 --> 00:36:22,830
The seedlings are then placed in the rice paddies
614
00:36:22,830 --> 00:36:26,110
at a later stage when they are stronger,
615
00:36:26,110 --> 00:36:28,000
with the help of pesticides.
616
00:36:28,000 --> 00:36:31,260
It's an ancient technique that is more hard work
617
00:36:31,260 --> 00:36:33,623
but that has proved its worth to farmers.
618
00:36:37,240 --> 00:36:40,963
However, is the solution not to be found in nature?
619
00:36:42,270 --> 00:36:44,937
(birds honking)
620
00:36:49,004 --> 00:36:52,504
(Sofia speaks in Spanish)
621
00:36:57,100 --> 00:36:58,583
They are walking.
622
00:36:59,977 --> 00:37:02,150
(woman speaks in Spanish)
623
00:37:02,150 --> 00:37:03,894
How many are eating?
624
00:37:03,894 --> 00:37:04,750
(Sofia speaks in Spanish)
Three,
625
00:37:04,750 --> 00:37:06,760
we need to get a little closer and wait
626
00:37:08,770 --> 00:37:11,893
in case there is a snail, so that we can see it better.
627
00:37:15,130 --> 00:37:16,950
Everything started with a photo
628
00:37:16,950 --> 00:37:20,223
in which we could see an ibis eating a snail.
629
00:37:22,149 --> 00:37:24,280
(Sofia continues speaking in Spanish)
630
00:37:24,280 --> 00:37:26,290
From this photo we are trying to prove
631
00:37:26,290 --> 00:37:28,653
that ibis do indeed eat apple snails.
632
00:37:33,292 --> 00:37:34,617
(bird croaks)
633
00:37:34,617 --> 00:37:35,970
In only seven years
634
00:37:35,970 --> 00:37:38,380
the ibis population has increased
635
00:37:38,380 --> 00:37:41,520
by several thousand individuals.
636
00:37:41,520 --> 00:37:44,840
Thanks to the boom in the apple snail population,
637
00:37:44,840 --> 00:37:47,590
an unexpected predator, the ibis
638
00:37:47,590 --> 00:37:49,940
might be able to free the rice paddies
639
00:37:49,940 --> 00:37:53,300
of a hitherto uncontrollable pest.
640
00:37:53,300 --> 00:37:55,800
(bird croaks)
641
00:37:57,330 --> 00:37:58,850
(gentle upbeat music)
642
00:37:58,850 --> 00:38:02,840
Accepting birds as a means to ensure better harvests
643
00:38:02,840 --> 00:38:06,713
is a new idea, which will most likely gain ground.
644
00:38:12,810 --> 00:38:16,770
The Ebro delta truly represents a delicate balance
645
00:38:16,770 --> 00:38:18,910
between man and nature.
646
00:38:18,910 --> 00:38:23,263
One that is constantly evolving and full of surprises.
647
00:38:25,190 --> 00:38:27,640
The Catalans have understood that the area
648
00:38:27,640 --> 00:38:30,960
needs to be respected in order to be promoted.
649
00:38:30,960 --> 00:38:33,420
They also reap the benefits of tourism
650
00:38:33,420 --> 00:38:35,263
in these preserved areas.
651
00:38:36,105 --> 00:38:39,522
(gentle music continues)
652
00:38:50,110 --> 00:38:54,440
I love birds, every bird. (laughs)
653
00:38:54,440 --> 00:38:57,950
And this is a particular beautiful bird.
654
00:38:57,950 --> 00:39:00,073
Especially in flying and landing.
655
00:39:05,360 --> 00:39:07,780
Behind this rather bucolic scene
656
00:39:07,780 --> 00:39:10,260
is a somewhat darker reality.
657
00:39:10,260 --> 00:39:13,520
The mouth of the Ebro, loaded with nutrients,
658
00:39:13,520 --> 00:39:17,160
attracts fish as well as those that eat them.
659
00:39:17,160 --> 00:39:21,170
But these waters are not as clean as they might seem.
660
00:39:21,170 --> 00:39:24,460
A slow poison absorbed by the birds is worrying
661
00:39:24,460 --> 00:39:26,770
the academics of Barcelona.
662
00:39:26,770 --> 00:39:29,670
Albert Bertolero is leading an investigation
663
00:39:29,670 --> 00:39:31,423
into a colony of gulls.
664
00:39:32,437 --> 00:39:37,437
(Albert speaking in Spanish)
(gulls screeching)
665
00:39:40,280 --> 00:39:44,960
Heavy metals dissolved in the sea are absorbed by the birds.
666
00:39:44,960 --> 00:39:47,980
There are traces of them in the shells of their young
667
00:39:47,980 --> 00:39:50,800
and in the food provided by the parents.
668
00:39:50,800 --> 00:39:53,926
This pollution can lead to malformations.
669
00:39:53,926 --> 00:39:54,810
(Albert speaks in Spanish)
670
00:39:54,810 --> 00:39:56,680
The adults fly off to find food
671
00:39:56,680 --> 00:39:59,013
and regurgitate it to feed their chicks.
672
00:40:00,607 --> 00:40:03,330
(chick cheeps)
673
00:40:03,330 --> 00:40:04,913
I love working in the field.
674
00:40:05,850 --> 00:40:08,180
You learn a lot because you're in direct contact
675
00:40:08,180 --> 00:40:09,583
with the animals and nature.
676
00:40:11,590 --> 00:40:13,540
And you can observe their interactions.
677
00:40:14,742 --> 00:40:17,575
(gulls squawking)
678
00:40:22,920 --> 00:40:25,320
It's now time for the ornithologists
679
00:40:25,320 --> 00:40:29,350
to study the health of these gulls a little more closely.
680
00:40:29,350 --> 00:40:33,230
Moises Sanchez, a PhD student in biology,
681
00:40:33,230 --> 00:40:35,260
is studying mercury pollution
682
00:40:35,260 --> 00:40:38,504
and how it's accumulating in the food chain.
683
00:40:38,504 --> 00:40:39,470
(Moises speaks in Spanish)
684
00:40:39,470 --> 00:40:41,480
It's a very toxic pollutant,
685
00:40:41,480 --> 00:40:46,152
not only for humans, but for the fauna and wildlife too.
686
00:40:46,152 --> 00:40:50,310
(Moises continues speaking in Spanish)
687
00:40:50,310 --> 00:40:52,140
The quantity of mercury is increasing
688
00:40:52,140 --> 00:40:53,503
in the bodies of animals.
689
00:40:55,760 --> 00:40:57,380
We can thus find out the degree
690
00:40:57,380 --> 00:40:59,423
of mercury pollution in the ecosystem.
691
00:41:07,100 --> 00:41:08,550
Thanks to their samples,
692
00:41:08,550 --> 00:41:12,290
the scientists can implement new measures against pollution
693
00:41:12,290 --> 00:41:15,323
which is reaching worrying levels in the Mediterranean.
694
00:41:16,243 --> 00:41:18,425
(wings flapping)
695
00:41:18,425 --> 00:41:21,800
(gently upbeat music)
696
00:41:21,800 --> 00:41:23,960
For now, the yellow-footed gulls
697
00:41:23,960 --> 00:41:25,803
are still faring quite well.
698
00:41:26,860 --> 00:41:30,090
However, another species which is much more sensitive
699
00:41:30,090 --> 00:41:32,440
to environmental hazards has attracted
700
00:41:32,440 --> 00:41:34,613
Albert Bertolero's attention.
701
00:41:34,613 --> 00:41:35,700
(Albert speaks in Spanish)
702
00:41:35,700 --> 00:41:38,480
We're going to see some Audouin's gulls.
703
00:41:38,480 --> 00:41:41,693
In the late '70s this species was close to extinction.
704
00:41:43,789 --> 00:41:46,489
There were only a thousand pairs in the Mediterranean.
705
00:41:50,705 --> 00:41:53,622
(gulls screeching)
706
00:42:00,190 --> 00:42:03,030
The number of eggs and their size give us information
707
00:42:03,030 --> 00:42:05,660
on the reproduction conditions of the females,
708
00:42:05,660 --> 00:42:06,910
and for the current year.
709
00:42:09,972 --> 00:42:12,889
(gulls screeching)
710
00:42:18,820 --> 00:42:21,020
Once is not custom.
711
00:42:21,020 --> 00:42:24,440
The artificial environment of the industrial salt flat
712
00:42:24,440 --> 00:42:26,670
actually protects Audouin's gulls
713
00:42:26,670 --> 00:42:28,393
from continental predators.
714
00:42:32,047 --> 00:42:33,141
(Albert speaks in Spanish)
715
00:42:33,141 --> 00:42:33,980
In the '80s,
716
00:42:33,980 --> 00:42:36,633
20 pairs started to nest in the Ebro delta.
717
00:42:38,225 --> 00:42:40,940
Since then the colony has developed
718
00:42:40,940 --> 00:42:43,367
and is now considered the largest in the world.
719
00:42:46,696 --> 00:42:51,696
(gulls squawking)
(water lapping)
720
00:42:52,443 --> 00:42:55,026
(gentle music)
721
00:42:57,020 --> 00:42:59,850
Thanks to everyone's concerted efforts
722
00:42:59,850 --> 00:43:03,190
the Ebro delta can play its role as a sanctuary
723
00:43:03,190 --> 00:43:07,610
for species at the edge of our modern and denatured world.
724
00:43:07,610 --> 00:43:11,223
But a much more serious threat is posed by the sea.
725
00:43:12,500 --> 00:43:15,730
Sea levels are inexorably rising.
726
00:43:15,730 --> 00:43:18,683
More acres have been flooded than one can count.
727
00:43:19,576 --> 00:43:24,576
(solemn music)
(water lapping)
728
00:43:29,472 --> 00:43:32,139
(waves rushing)
729
00:43:39,850 --> 00:43:43,090
This restaurant is putting up resistance.
730
00:43:43,090 --> 00:43:46,393
It's stone shield needs rebuilding every year.
731
00:43:48,920 --> 00:43:53,480
This situation worries Marcella Otamendi, it's owner.
732
00:43:53,480 --> 00:43:56,560
(Marcella speaks in Spanish)
733
00:43:56,560 --> 00:43:58,300
About 40 years ago,
734
00:43:58,300 --> 00:44:00,683
I used to grow rice even here.
735
00:44:01,560 --> 00:44:04,910
Over there in the sea where you see those rocks,
736
00:44:04,910 --> 00:44:08,070
there was a path that led to the Fangar peninsula.
737
00:44:08,070 --> 00:44:11,440
There were sand dunes and the vegetation was spectacular,
738
00:44:11,440 --> 00:44:13,710
a real slice of paradise.
739
00:44:13,710 --> 00:44:16,147
But now everything has been drowned by the sea.
740
00:44:17,840 --> 00:44:21,340
(somber orchestral music)
741
00:44:27,300 --> 00:44:28,710
Even more concerning
742
00:44:28,710 --> 00:44:31,070
is the recently built tourist village
743
00:44:31,070 --> 00:44:35,193
which is doomed to become an island in just a few decades.
744
00:44:41,380 --> 00:44:44,670
A simulation shows that half the Ebro delta
745
00:44:44,670 --> 00:44:48,743
will be flooded by the Mediterranean in the next 50 years.
746
00:44:51,230 --> 00:44:55,040
In this exposed area, a house and part of the coast
747
00:44:55,040 --> 00:44:57,423
were washed away by the last storm.
748
00:44:59,230 --> 00:45:03,040
Carlos Ibanez, an expert in coastal areas
749
00:45:03,040 --> 00:45:04,783
is studying this phenomenon.
750
00:45:06,763 --> 00:45:07,880
(Carlos speaks in Spanish)
751
00:45:07,880 --> 00:45:10,943
Here there's sand and it erodes easily.
752
00:45:12,680 --> 00:45:15,834
In the event of a sea storm, it crumbles quickly
753
00:45:15,834 --> 00:45:20,834
and it all collapses.
754
00:45:22,160 --> 00:45:25,520
This problem is not only linked to the sea levels.
755
00:45:25,520 --> 00:45:27,250
That will be the case in the future
756
00:45:27,250 --> 00:45:29,600
when the levels would have risen by a meter.
757
00:45:29,600 --> 00:45:31,920
This will have an impact on the erosion.
758
00:45:31,920 --> 00:45:33,790
But for now the erosion is mainly due
759
00:45:33,790 --> 00:45:35,643
to the lack of sediments in the Ebro.
760
00:45:37,757 --> 00:45:38,810
(waves hissing)
761
00:45:38,810 --> 00:45:40,420
Consequently the land
762
00:45:40,420 --> 00:45:42,500
along the Ebro is sinking,
763
00:45:42,500 --> 00:45:45,150
while the sea levels are rising.
764
00:45:45,150 --> 00:45:47,700
This double phenomenon will eventually
765
00:45:47,700 --> 00:45:50,933
put an end to the area's rice paddy economy.
766
00:45:52,020 --> 00:45:54,950
The salt is already infiltrating.
767
00:45:54,950 --> 00:45:57,429
It risks burning the crops.
768
00:45:57,429 --> 00:46:00,012
(somber music)
769
00:46:03,510 --> 00:46:07,050
(tractor rumbles)
770
00:46:07,050 --> 00:46:10,090
The riverbed and the canals that it irrigates
771
00:46:10,090 --> 00:46:12,870
are also sinking below sea level.
772
00:46:12,870 --> 00:46:16,310
Manual evacuation of fresh water is needed.
773
00:46:16,310 --> 00:46:21,212
Sometimes through pumping, an electricity-hungry process.
774
00:46:21,212 --> 00:46:23,879
(water rushing)
775
00:46:25,641 --> 00:46:29,000
(solemn rhythmic music)
776
00:46:29,000 --> 00:46:31,360
To measure the sinking of the delta,
777
00:46:31,360 --> 00:46:34,313
satellite detected beacons have been set up.
778
00:46:40,526 --> 00:46:41,359
(Carlos speaks in Spanish)
779
00:46:41,359 --> 00:46:44,030
It sinks a few millimeters every year.
780
00:46:44,030 --> 00:46:46,740
This won't cause any problems in the next year,
781
00:46:46,740 --> 00:46:48,930
but it risks causing very serious damage
782
00:46:48,930 --> 00:46:50,933
in the next 30 to 50 years.
783
00:46:51,830 --> 00:46:54,350
Sudden events such as natural disasters,
784
00:46:54,350 --> 00:46:57,010
for example, hurricanes or storms
785
00:46:57,010 --> 00:46:59,293
are a cause of concern for a lot of people.
786
00:47:00,180 --> 00:47:02,780
But things are different when the changes are slow,
787
00:47:02,780 --> 00:47:05,723
even if the consequences will soon be dramatic.
788
00:47:08,880 --> 00:47:11,630
Only the alluvium carried by the Ebro
789
00:47:11,630 --> 00:47:14,060
could raise the level of the delta.
790
00:47:14,060 --> 00:47:17,052
But lately there hasn't been much at all.
791
00:47:17,052 --> 00:47:17,910
(Carlos speaking in Spanish)
792
00:47:17,910 --> 00:47:19,340
This system only measures
793
00:47:19,340 --> 00:47:22,110
the compacting of the first few meters.
794
00:47:22,110 --> 00:47:23,840
It corresponds to the most active
795
00:47:23,840 --> 00:47:26,590
and most recent layer of sediments accumulated
796
00:47:26,590 --> 00:47:28,303
over the last few centuries.
797
00:47:29,154 --> 00:47:31,821
(water gurgles)
798
00:47:34,120 --> 00:47:35,560
The delta was born
799
00:47:35,560 --> 00:47:38,870
from sediments transported by the Ebro.
800
00:47:38,870 --> 00:47:42,480
The land progressively gained ground over the sea
801
00:47:42,480 --> 00:47:45,080
with the help of rice paddies and canals,
802
00:47:45,080 --> 00:47:47,963
which used to distribute the alluvium-rich water.
803
00:47:50,026 --> 00:47:54,820
(gently solemn music)
(projector rattles)
804
00:47:54,820 --> 00:47:58,203
What happened?
805
00:47:59,040 --> 00:48:01,380
Here are the culprits.
806
00:48:01,380 --> 00:48:05,930
Six hydroelectric dams have been built along the Ebro.
807
00:48:05,930 --> 00:48:09,240
Today they prevent the flow of sediments.
808
00:48:09,240 --> 00:48:11,240
In order for them to get through,
809
00:48:11,240 --> 00:48:13,370
drainage gates are required.
810
00:48:13,370 --> 00:48:16,505
But this is an expensive process.
811
00:48:16,505 --> 00:48:18,510
(crowd chanting)
812
00:48:18,510 --> 00:48:20,200
Anger is growing.
813
00:48:20,200 --> 00:48:22,510
Many have become aware of the danger.
814
00:48:22,510 --> 00:48:25,080
Mr. Paulette, at the head of the movement
815
00:48:25,080 --> 00:48:28,154
is a fervent defender of the delta.
816
00:48:28,154 --> 00:48:29,280
(man speaks in Spanish)
817
00:48:29,280 --> 00:48:31,120
These sediments are accumulating
818
00:48:31,120 --> 00:48:32,703
in the dams that store them.
819
00:48:33,940 --> 00:48:35,840
No one cares that they're full of mud.
820
00:48:37,010 --> 00:48:39,860
We need to find a solution to ease the flow of sediments.
821
00:48:42,330 --> 00:48:44,110
Pending a political decision,
822
00:48:44,110 --> 00:48:48,090
Carlos Ibanez is on the hunt for solutions.
823
00:48:48,090 --> 00:48:49,970
He's managed to convince a plant
824
00:48:49,970 --> 00:48:52,083
that captures freshwater up river.
825
00:48:53,980 --> 00:48:56,130
The sediments will be re-injected
826
00:48:56,130 --> 00:48:57,960
into the rice paddy canals,
827
00:48:57,960 --> 00:49:01,310
diluted and spread across several acres.
828
00:49:01,310 --> 00:49:04,490
It's a drop in the ocean with regards to the delta
829
00:49:04,490 --> 00:49:07,250
but the experience could serve as an example
830
00:49:07,250 --> 00:49:10,523
for the dams to do the same thing on a bigger scale.
831
00:49:11,357 --> 00:49:14,024
(motor rumbles)
832
00:49:14,993 --> 00:49:18,160
(footsteps crunching)
833
00:49:20,490 --> 00:49:22,580
In this area where we're standing,
834
00:49:22,580 --> 00:49:24,340
the level is higher.
835
00:49:24,340 --> 00:49:26,660
This is due to the vegetation.
836
00:49:26,660 --> 00:49:30,210
It retains sediments, creates volume with its roots
837
00:49:30,210 --> 00:49:32,283
and that raises the level of the ground.
838
00:49:35,480 --> 00:49:37,770
This is why we promote the role of vegetation
839
00:49:37,770 --> 00:49:41,380
in these sensitive areas, to retain more sediments
840
00:49:41,380 --> 00:49:43,963
and produce as much bio mass as possible.
841
00:49:46,700 --> 00:49:48,740
The aim is to raise the ground level
842
00:49:48,740 --> 00:49:50,390
in proportion to that of the sea.
843
00:49:52,283 --> 00:49:54,170
(gentle music)
844
00:49:54,170 --> 00:49:56,680
Will the attention of the best experts
845
00:49:56,680 --> 00:49:59,930
be enough to safeguard this delta?
846
00:49:59,930 --> 00:50:02,763
Their faith may do wonders.
847
00:50:03,796 --> 00:50:04,820
(Albert speaks in Spanish)
848
00:50:04,820 --> 00:50:07,550
This is a place we know and love,
849
00:50:07,550 --> 00:50:09,393
a place we live and work in.
850
00:50:11,120 --> 00:50:13,810
We don't want to see the delta disappear.
851
00:50:13,810 --> 00:50:17,073
Particularly since this process is due to human error.
852
00:50:18,730 --> 00:50:20,763
No one wants it to reach that point.
853
00:50:24,360 --> 00:50:25,193
Whatever happens,
854
00:50:25,193 --> 00:50:30,100
Catalans will remember the lesson of the Ebro delta.
855
00:50:30,100 --> 00:50:32,650
Its safeguarding depends on the respect
856
00:50:32,650 --> 00:50:34,810
of its soil and water.
857
00:50:34,810 --> 00:50:38,200
On the equilibrium between its wild environment
858
00:50:38,200 --> 00:50:42,860
and cultivated land for a vital interdependence
859
00:50:42,860 --> 00:50:45,576
between man and nature.
860
00:50:45,576 --> 00:50:48,993
(gentle music continues)
64859
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