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(mumbles)
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(fireworks)
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Nightlife and beautiful beaches,
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(cheerful music)
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sun times and tapas.
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But Spain is so much more
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it's a crossroads between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic
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between Europe and Africa resulting in diverse landscapes,
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ancient cultures and glorious wildlife.
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It's a hidden Spain missed by many tourists
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who fail to venture outside the resorts.
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Worlds within worlds,
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the medieval towns, to farming communities, desert,
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mountains and forests with some of the most dramatic
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and diverse wildlife of the continent.
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(piano music)
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(birds chirping)
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The seas of Northern Spain
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are some of the richest in the world
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with an impressive diversity of marine mammals.
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There one of the few places on earth
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where elusive beaked whales can be observed.
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Several species inhabit the canyons
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like this shy Sowerby's beaked whale,
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they spend little time at the surface
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and mostly foraging for squid in the ocean depths.
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Diving for well over an hour and a descending sometimes
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thousands of meters into the abyss.
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The whales are here because beneath the surface,
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lie massive trenches,
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some twice as deep as the Grand Canyon.
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(dramatic music)
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They create upwellings bringing nutrients to the surface
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as well as stirring the seas, earning this region,
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the Bay of Biscay, the reputation of the wrecker of ships.
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The trenches of the continuation
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of Spain's Cantabrian Mountains that stretch 300 kilometers
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along the country's northern border.
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(birds clucking)
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(heavy ocean water throbs)
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The force of the sea makes itself well felt along the coast.
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In winter, fierce storms rage.
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And in summer fog forms,
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the resulting rainfall gives them mountains of Cantabria,
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their own unique personality.
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The lush pasture, ideal for small herders
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for generations they have grazed their livestock,
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moving them up and down the hills.
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(tractor engine roaring)
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Today there's little money in farming.
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And young people are moving to the cities to work,
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leaving the villages locked
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in a romantic cloak of forgotten times.
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(guitar music)
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It's not just people making a living in the hills.
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(birds chirping)
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Because of the rugged terrain, nature has been undisturbed.
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(birds cawing)
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The mountains are home to a stunning array of wildlife,
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including wolves, chamois,
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and a rare subspecies of brown bear,
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isolated into populations in the Cantabrian Mountains.
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The bears live in little islands of wilderness
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among towns and farm land.
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Less than 300 of these rare bears remain.
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Every cub is protected
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a precious natural treasure of the Spain.
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(cricket chirping)
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They've become a tourist attraction,
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boosting the economy and increasing the desire
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to protect nature among the people who share these hills.
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And in doing so,
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they are protecting many other fantastic species.
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Among them bird life in abundance.
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(birds chirping)
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Spain boasts more than 600 species of birds.
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The blue throat is a secretive, but dazzling flycatcher.
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It's beautiful song, a war cry.
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(birds singing)
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A territorial warning to others in the region.
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The higher you climb into the mountains,
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which tower 2600 meters into the air,
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the more hostile and colorless the landscape seems
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were it not for the birds
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yellow-billed Alpine chough live in social flocks
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but it's one of the most solitary and secretive birds
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that's also the most spectacular.
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The wall creeper.
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Social interactions are unusual.
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But this is a mother trying to encourage her chick
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to fly the nest.
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(dramatic music)
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He's been hanging around demanding handouts
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but she's playing hard to get
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and leading him further from home.
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Perhaps he'll finally take the hint.
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Wall creepers make a living seeking out
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and surprising insects from between the rocks.
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They find plenty but it's on the flower Meadow
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of lower Alpine slopes where insects are bound.
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Around 150 species of butterfly are drawn to the blooms.
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Including the impressive mountain Apollo.
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Unusually, this abundance of life is in part,
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thanks to a human presence
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the meadows or mowed to create cattle feed.
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The regular trim stops trees and bushes from taking hold.
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Maintaining a grassland of flowers and butterflies.
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The lush green is thanks to the heavy rainfall
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from the coast.
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(birds singing)
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(river flowing)
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Because of this flow of water,
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the mountains are scored by streams
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that can even support a unique high altitude amphibian.
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They are asterion fire salamander,
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(cheerful music)
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it's a subspecies of fire salamander.
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Similar to its cousin in appearance and passion for worms
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yet distinct because of its beautiful yellow skin.
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But the abundance of water here
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does not reflect most of Spain.
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The mountain range to the north creates a rain shadow.
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It sucks in the moisture from the sea.
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Most walls on high country are north facing slopes.
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(soft music)
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And as a result,
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most of the vast landmass to the south is more arid.
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A warm, dry mediterranean climate but still high up.
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Most of Spain is an enormous platter, the meseta.
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These are the oldest rocks in the country.
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As the highest points,
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patches of snow can linger a year round
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they are home to a genetically distinct group of chamois.
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Because they favor mountains,
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many populations have grown in isolation
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on different ranges, resulting in 10 subspecies
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of all the varieties the Cantabrian chamois are the smallest
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slightly smaller than a Great Dane.
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But what they lack in size they make up for in other talents
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considered goat antelope
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because they represent the ancestral animal
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that gave rise to both.
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They are nimble like antelope
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and with the climbing skills of goats.
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(soft music)
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To avoid predators like wolves,
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they sleep high on the craggy slopes.
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But during the day, descend to alpine meadows to feed.
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Everyone's heard of chamois leathers,
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the soft cloth used to clean cars and windows
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traditionally they were made from chamois skin,
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which is unusually soft and elastic when tanned.
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The commodity almost drove
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the beautiful animals to extinction.
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Today their numbers are higher,
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and hunting is carefully controlled.
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Chamois are a vital part of the food chain here
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and favored prey to the region's wolves, bears and eagles.
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Their carcasses also feed
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some of Spain's most dramatic birds.
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Because so much of Spain is mountainous
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it has more vultures and more species
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than anywhere else in Europe.
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The black mercenaries vulture is the biggest,
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a dark beauty with a three meter wingspan.
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The Egyptian vulture is the smallest.
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It's been observed using rocks to crack eggs,
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making it one of the few birds to use tools.
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It's also the only one of Spain's vultures to migrate
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traveling 7000 kilometers to Africa for the winter.
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Each species has their own feeding preferences.
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And no leash is more specific than magnificent lammergeier.
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Also known as bearded vultures
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because of their magnificent gloomage.
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They drop in for the last helping of any meal, the bones
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and have such powerful stomach acid,
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they can digest the bone and the tasty marrow within.
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The commonest giant in the skies of Spain
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is the magnificent griffon vulture.
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(dramatic music)
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The fierce sun warms low lying areas
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and the heat is pushed up against the rocks,
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creating thermals, warm currents of rising air,
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the vultures can go with the flow,
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soaring to 600 meters or more traveling many kilometers
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without ever needing to flap.
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They have incredible eyesight, scowering the planes below.
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Black kites have already found treasure.
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A cow, it's quite a feast
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but trouble is brewing overhead
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(birds shrieking)
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with their long practically bored necks,
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griffon vulture can reach deep inside the carcass.
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Vultures have a bad rep.
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Many people find them disgusting,
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but then vitally important.
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Vultures are the ultimate recyclers, cleaning up carcasses
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that could otherwise rot and spread disease.
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Spain is the second highest
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and most mountainous country in Europe,
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sculpted by several dramatic mountain ranges
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and huge plateaus,
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on the slopes below, rocks give way to trees.
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Around 36% of Spain is forested,
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though that forest comes in many forms.
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A huge chunk of Central Western Spain
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is known as the Extremadura.
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It's the size of Switzerland,
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but with a much smaller population.
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It's Spain's wild west,
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where cowboys still ride to work.
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Bathed in a Mediterranean climate,
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the region's mild in winter
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and very hot and dry during the summer.
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(birds singing)
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(soft music)
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The heat brings abundant plant growth.
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Different flowers decorate each season.
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Spain boasts more than 8000 plant species,
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20% of which are found nowhere else on Earth.
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The flowers grow around grows with olive trees and home oak.
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The home oaks deliver bountiful acorns that plump up pigs
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the well fed porkers have made Extremadura
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famous for its ham.
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But there's another oak tree here
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whose produce ends up all over the world.
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Every year men arrive and attack it with axes and knives.
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They are stripping it's bark known to most of us as cork
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men who've been doing this for centuries
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and know the exact amount to remove
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without killing the tree.
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Cork oaks have the unique ability to regenerate their bark.
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If the men get it right,
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they'll be able to return to this tree in nine years
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and harvest is again.
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The industry for bottle corks and smoked ham
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preserve the semi managed forest
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because they kept open, they have a higher plant diversity
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than any other forest, with more than 135 species
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per square kilometer.
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The gnarly old trees make good homes for many animals.
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Stokes use the tree tops platforms
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to build a giant sky rises.
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Returning to the same nest every year, they pile them high.
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The structure is sometimes weigh more than a ton.
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(bills clapping)
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They throw their heads back and bill clap
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to express their devotion to each other
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before committing to a family.
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Pupose nest in tree cavities below.
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(bird hooting)
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Though they related to kingfishers and woodpeckers,
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they have a look that is all that round.
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With fast growing chicks, these parents have to work
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around the clock to silence the hungry mouths.
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They use their long beaks to probe the ground
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for small animals, fruits, seeds and most of all insects.
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(soft music)
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Both the mother and chicks produce a foul oil
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that coat their bodies, it's set to smell like rotting meat
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and probably acts as a pesticide,
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preventing the buildup of parasites in the nest.
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Both parents will run themselves ragged for about a month
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until the young are finally ready to leave the home
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pupose are colorful and hard to miss,
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but there are other creatures living in the trees
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that are masters of going unnoticed.
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In the rotten heart of an old oak tree
269
00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:36,490
a weary mother tends to her young
270
00:25:41,439 --> 00:25:44,090
Genets are rare in Europe,
271
00:25:44,090 --> 00:25:46,863
found mostly in the warmer climate at the Southwest.
272
00:25:48,260 --> 00:25:50,550
They're widespread across Africa,
273
00:25:50,550 --> 00:25:53,190
and may have been introduced here by the Romans
274
00:25:53,190 --> 00:25:56,663
as pest control because of their mouse catching skills.
275
00:25:59,190 --> 00:26:00,673
This one's a single mom.
276
00:26:03,380 --> 00:26:05,460
Genets like to be solitary,
277
00:26:05,460 --> 00:26:07,443
unless they have kids to take care of.
278
00:26:12,930 --> 00:26:15,920
Her little pair were born blind and helpless,
279
00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:18,453
but under her care, they're growing fast.
280
00:26:23,980 --> 00:26:25,670
She's still providing milk for them
281
00:26:25,670 --> 00:26:27,960
when they are four months old.
282
00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:30,543
But for the next few weeks, she'll stay busy.
283
00:26:31,910 --> 00:26:34,173
She needs to keep yourself in good shape,
284
00:26:37,360 --> 00:26:40,383
but only sneaks out to feed once the sun has set.
285
00:26:51,270 --> 00:26:54,850
Illuminated only by the Milky Way she creeps out
286
00:27:07,311 --> 00:27:09,290
with the low human population,
287
00:27:09,290 --> 00:27:12,020
there's little light pollution out here,
288
00:27:12,020 --> 00:27:16,013
giving Spain side Europe's finest spots for stargazing.
289
00:27:19,360 --> 00:27:21,413
But she has other things on her mind.
290
00:27:23,570 --> 00:27:26,440
With nocturnal habits she's rarely seen
291
00:27:27,350 --> 00:27:31,473
apart from her tony owl neighbor both are on the prowl
292
00:27:35,700 --> 00:27:37,217
the vol better beware.
293
00:27:51,730 --> 00:27:55,030
Genets and that only living relatives civets
294
00:27:55,030 --> 00:27:59,340
are considered proto cats having many cat like traits,
295
00:27:59,340 --> 00:28:02,863
long slinking bodies and semi retractable claws.
296
00:28:11,360 --> 00:28:16,040
She's an expert climber and knows that day active birds
297
00:28:16,040 --> 00:28:18,716
could be sound asleep in the branches.
298
00:28:18,716 --> 00:28:21,133
(soft music)
299
00:28:35,350 --> 00:28:37,363
The pigeon never saw what hit it.
300
00:28:39,090 --> 00:28:43,270
She'll hunt any small animals and dispatches them
301
00:28:43,270 --> 00:28:45,143
with a bite to the back of the head.
302
00:28:50,179 --> 00:28:53,910
Below her, a true cat the rarest in the world
303
00:28:56,840 --> 00:29:01,840
an Iberian lynx only found in southwestern Europe.
304
00:29:02,410 --> 00:29:03,810
Hunting and habitat loss
305
00:29:03,810 --> 00:29:06,693
pushed his population down to less than 100.
306
00:29:08,760 --> 00:29:12,953
Careful protection has helped a slow recovery to about 400.
307
00:29:17,670 --> 00:29:20,600
He's mostly preys on rabbits and rodents
308
00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:22,670
but can even tackle small deer.
309
00:29:26,260 --> 00:29:29,190
The genet decides to stay out of its way
310
00:29:29,190 --> 00:29:31,160
and returns to her nest,
311
00:29:31,160 --> 00:29:33,077
ready to sit out the heat of the day.
312
00:29:37,526 --> 00:29:40,276
(dramatic music)
313
00:29:54,460 --> 00:29:59,400
The mercury rises quickly in Spain, especially to the south
314
00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:01,243
in the region known as Andalusia,
315
00:30:03,120 --> 00:30:05,430
home of the gore fay desert,
316
00:30:05,430 --> 00:30:08,273
one of the hottest and driest parts of Europe.
317
00:30:14,410 --> 00:30:18,713
Likened to the Grand Canyon, this is a land of sun lovers,
318
00:30:25,270 --> 00:30:26,190
reptiles
319
00:30:31,870 --> 00:30:32,823
and insects rule.
320
00:30:46,791 --> 00:30:50,208
A praying mantis cleans its complex eyes,
321
00:30:58,970 --> 00:31:03,083
distracted it doesn't notice a predator on the prowl.
322
00:31:05,630 --> 00:31:08,000
The scorpions armed with pinching claws
323
00:31:08,000 --> 00:31:09,363
and the venomous sting.
324
00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:15,083
But there's a twist in this tale.
325
00:31:16,927 --> 00:31:19,883
The praying mantis has lightning reactions.
326
00:31:21,170 --> 00:31:23,930
Its spine covered arms pinning the scorpion
327
00:31:23,930 --> 00:31:25,753
before it has the chance to strike.
328
00:31:33,870 --> 00:31:37,683
Cold blooded creatures enjoy solar radiation in the desert.
329
00:31:49,880 --> 00:31:52,280
The warm weather gives Spain the grand total
330
00:31:52,280 --> 00:31:56,683
of 45 species of reptiles, in a land of contrasts,
331
00:31:59,290 --> 00:32:01,820
the desert is framed by the snow capped peaks
332
00:32:01,820 --> 00:32:03,233
of the Sierra Nevada.
333
00:32:04,220 --> 00:32:08,257
After the Alps, it's the highest mountain range in Europe.
334
00:32:11,920 --> 00:32:14,810
It's deep ravines and gorges remain a fortress
335
00:32:14,810 --> 00:32:18,060
to one of the country's most dramatic mammals,
336
00:32:18,060 --> 00:32:19,593
the Spanish ibex.
337
00:32:28,610 --> 00:32:31,930
They used to be to other kinds of ibex in Spain,
338
00:32:31,930 --> 00:32:34,053
but hunting drove them to extinction.
339
00:32:35,120 --> 00:32:38,653
Fortunately, this last survivor thrives.
340
00:32:41,130 --> 00:32:42,640
For most of the year,
341
00:32:42,640 --> 00:32:45,320
female ibex wonder apart from the males
342
00:32:47,060 --> 00:32:49,660
protecting their young in the center of their group.
343
00:32:53,780 --> 00:32:55,460
Only once the young are old enough
344
00:32:55,460 --> 00:32:58,493
to leave their mother's side will both sexes meet.
345
00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:04,240
During rutting season, the males
346
00:33:04,240 --> 00:33:07,460
with their impressive 75 centimeter horns
347
00:33:07,460 --> 00:33:09,003
do their best to flirt.
348
00:33:13,920 --> 00:33:18,223
They strut, heads low, tails high and tongues out.
349
00:33:25,190 --> 00:33:28,717
Apparently, the females find this alluring in theory,
350
00:33:34,700 --> 00:33:36,820
it's like a game of kiss chase,
351
00:33:36,820 --> 00:33:39,003
with several males pursuing a female.
352
00:33:45,390 --> 00:33:46,923
Usually the horniest wins.
353
00:33:48,860 --> 00:33:52,453
The boys giving way to the bigger headgear of a mature male.
354
00:34:00,400 --> 00:34:03,743
Though so far, the girls don't seem too impressed.
355
00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:15,773
Andalusia is a treasured unique region of Spain.
356
00:34:19,170 --> 00:34:21,633
Still steeped in culture and tradition.
357
00:34:24,810 --> 00:34:26,673
Its famed for its cowboys,
358
00:34:28,770 --> 00:34:33,770
wild horses and bull fights.
359
00:34:37,260 --> 00:34:39,510
Herds with the impressive animals still roam.
360
00:34:43,010 --> 00:34:47,133
Every year over 100 cowboys gather for a dramatic roundup.
361
00:34:49,490 --> 00:34:51,833
2000 of free roaming animals are driven back
362
00:34:51,833 --> 00:34:53,743
through the town of El Rocio.
363
00:34:57,150 --> 00:34:59,363
They're heading for a world famous market,
364
00:35:00,610 --> 00:35:03,083
where best will be sold off for riding.
365
00:35:12,062 --> 00:35:12,895
(traditional music)
366
00:35:12,895 --> 00:35:14,990
Here tradition runs riot,
367
00:35:16,370 --> 00:35:18,140
especially over the Easter period
368
00:35:19,190 --> 00:35:21,753
when it hosts the biggest party in Spain.
369
00:35:26,790 --> 00:35:29,163
The celebrations go through to Whit Sunday.
370
00:35:30,060 --> 00:35:32,890
When this parade arrives after a five day march
371
00:35:35,420 --> 00:35:37,673
thousands of pilgrims come to greet it.
372
00:35:38,860 --> 00:35:41,293
Now the celebrations really get underway.
373
00:35:47,541 --> 00:35:48,870
It's a reminder of the strength
374
00:35:48,870 --> 00:35:51,033
of Roman Catholic tradition in Spain.
375
00:35:54,260 --> 00:35:57,250
The time of scenes of color and culture have played out here
376
00:35:57,250 --> 00:35:58,643
for 800 years.
377
00:36:02,510 --> 00:36:04,150
It's no wonder tourists flock
378
00:36:04,150 --> 00:36:06,123
to this incredible region of Spain.
379
00:36:10,720 --> 00:36:14,570
Andalusia not only reveals the nation's proud heritage
380
00:36:14,570 --> 00:36:16,173
but its natural wonders.
381
00:36:20,320 --> 00:36:22,863
It's a region with enormous diversity.
382
00:36:25,070 --> 00:36:27,420
Within a few 10s of kilometers,
383
00:36:27,420 --> 00:36:30,000
terrain can go from snow capped mountains
384
00:36:33,710 --> 00:36:35,383
to sub tropical beaches.
385
00:36:40,440 --> 00:36:41,950
And everything in between.
386
00:36:45,900 --> 00:36:48,470
The ancient cities show Moorish roots
387
00:36:48,470 --> 00:36:50,360
with historic influxes of people
388
00:36:50,360 --> 00:36:52,813
from nearby North Africa of a millennia.
389
00:36:59,610 --> 00:37:02,293
Some species make the most of the old buildings.
390
00:37:04,300 --> 00:37:07,113
Sparrows here have some unusual roommates.
391
00:37:10,570 --> 00:37:12,800
Unlike most birds of prey,
392
00:37:12,800 --> 00:37:16,543
lesser kestrels are social and nest in colonies.
393
00:37:20,283 --> 00:37:22,840
This can lead to a fair amount of squabbling
394
00:37:34,020 --> 00:37:36,400
one of the smallest birds of prey in Europe,
395
00:37:36,400 --> 00:37:39,273
their nests fit nicely under old roof tiles.
396
00:37:51,430 --> 00:37:55,500
Lesser kestrel feed almost entirely on insects.
397
00:37:55,500 --> 00:37:58,870
And the use of pesticides over the last hundred years
398
00:37:58,870 --> 00:38:01,053
has massively decreased their population.
399
00:38:08,260 --> 00:38:11,203
The sparrows don't seem concerned by the tiny predators.
400
00:38:16,840 --> 00:38:20,233
Though the young kestrel objects to the trespassing.
401
00:38:26,120 --> 00:38:27,623
The intruder gets bolder.
402
00:38:33,650 --> 00:38:37,160
Little pesky insects often build up in bird's nest.
403
00:38:37,160 --> 00:38:38,583
Perhaps he spots a snack.
404
00:38:47,730 --> 00:38:49,930
But he makes way when dad arrives with food.
405
00:39:09,523 --> 00:39:11,300
(wind blowing)
406
00:39:11,300 --> 00:39:12,293
It's hot here,
407
00:39:16,820 --> 00:39:21,820
very hot, often 40 degrees or more in summer
408
00:39:25,330 --> 00:39:28,423
something much appreciated by another insect eater.
409
00:39:30,610 --> 00:39:34,000
The common chameleon hugs the Mediterranean coast
410
00:39:34,000 --> 00:39:35,903
to savor the balmy climate.
411
00:39:48,580 --> 00:39:51,260
Creeping like a leaf catching the breeze,
412
00:39:51,260 --> 00:39:54,390
rotating his big beady eyes independently
413
00:39:54,390 --> 00:39:57,433
and of course with his famous ability to change his hue.
414
00:39:58,700 --> 00:40:01,373
The chameleon is the master of stealth.
415
00:40:06,800 --> 00:40:11,800
When he spots prey, he freezes, aims and fires.
416
00:40:20,509 --> 00:40:22,590
With the fastest tongue in the west,
417
00:40:22,590 --> 00:40:26,383
he snagged the cricket in just one 20th of a millisecond.
418
00:40:29,780 --> 00:40:32,680
Then those beady eyes start scanning for a second helping.
419
00:40:36,213 --> 00:40:38,610
(dramatic haunting music)
420
00:40:38,610 --> 00:40:41,110
A movement grabs his attention,
421
00:40:41,110 --> 00:40:43,063
but not what he was hoping for.
422
00:40:45,880 --> 00:40:47,943
Chameleons are fiercely territorial.
423
00:40:52,010 --> 00:40:54,410
They occupy different heights on the plants
424
00:40:54,410 --> 00:40:57,853
based on their rank to avoid conflicts like this,
425
00:41:13,490 --> 00:41:14,800
darkened with rage
426
00:41:21,280 --> 00:41:23,323
but it seems this was all a mistake.
427
00:41:26,100 --> 00:41:29,250
The trespasser is keen to move on without causing trouble
428
00:41:37,470 --> 00:41:40,530
having escorted the unwelcome guests off,
429
00:41:40,530 --> 00:41:42,113
he can get back to breakfast.
430
00:41:57,590 --> 00:41:59,760
Surrounded by mountains,
431
00:41:59,760 --> 00:42:01,913
the low lands received a lot of water.
432
00:42:08,630 --> 00:42:11,783
The Guadalquivir rises in the mountains far inland.
433
00:42:13,200 --> 00:42:15,353
The second longest river in Spain.
434
00:42:17,040 --> 00:42:20,010
It flows for more than 650 kilometers
435
00:42:21,770 --> 00:42:26,100
until it reaches a huge delta close to the southern coast,
436
00:42:26,100 --> 00:42:28,693
forming the spectacular damiana wetland.
437
00:42:31,540 --> 00:42:34,390
One of Europe's most important habitats,
438
00:42:34,390 --> 00:42:36,573
both for resident and migrating birds.
439
00:42:44,420 --> 00:42:45,823
Summer's here are harsh,
440
00:42:48,770 --> 00:42:52,500
shrinking pools mean animals must trek for water
441
00:42:55,450 --> 00:42:58,263
and pond life can be left high and dry.
442
00:43:11,120 --> 00:43:14,653
But Spain Southern coastline touches two bodies of water.
443
00:43:15,750 --> 00:43:18,980
Its Southern peninsula stands between the Mediterranean Sea
444
00:43:18,980 --> 00:43:23,703
on the eastern side and to the southwest, the Atlantic.
445
00:43:30,560 --> 00:43:32,670
Storms from this much colder ocean
446
00:43:32,670 --> 00:43:34,563
ensure plenty of winter rainfall.
447
00:43:42,400 --> 00:43:45,853
With the water sources refreshed, life locks.
448
00:43:52,490 --> 00:43:55,993
Pools that were desiccated are soon teeming with life.
449
00:43:57,600 --> 00:44:01,170
Shrimp eggs that laid dormant in the mud quickly hatch
450
00:44:06,060 --> 00:44:09,573
and draw one of the region's most colorful inhabitants.
451
00:44:16,670 --> 00:44:18,673
Flamingos need no introduction.
452
00:44:21,260 --> 00:44:24,870
It's the carotene, the red pigment in their shrimp prey
453
00:44:24,870 --> 00:44:26,253
that colors their feathers.
454
00:44:28,950 --> 00:44:30,393
These birds like a party.
455
00:44:32,710 --> 00:44:35,470
They always live in flocks and only breed
456
00:44:35,470 --> 00:44:37,520
if they've got enough bodies around them.
457
00:44:39,600 --> 00:44:42,670
Their pinks get most vibrant for the breeding season
458
00:44:42,670 --> 00:44:45,343
when the birds dance to impress their mates.
459
00:44:46,560 --> 00:44:48,180
Something that may have inspired
460
00:44:48,180 --> 00:44:51,370
one of the most iconic Spanish arts, the flamenco
461
00:44:52,280 --> 00:44:56,054
which shares its name with the Spanish for Flamingo.
462
00:44:56,054 --> 00:44:59,221
(Spanish dance music)
463
00:45:19,525 --> 00:45:22,610
Beyond the wetlands, the Mediterranean glistens
464
00:45:22,610 --> 00:45:23,833
and inviting tuck waves.
465
00:45:34,000 --> 00:45:37,730
It's mostly warm water, but it does attract visitors
466
00:45:37,730 --> 00:45:39,223
from the colder Atlantic.
467
00:45:41,400 --> 00:45:45,210
A small population of around 40 orca or killer whales
468
00:45:45,210 --> 00:45:46,860
live in the Straits of Gibraltar,
469
00:45:48,447 --> 00:45:49,580
(whales pulse calls)
470
00:45:49,580 --> 00:45:52,110
a narrow channel of water between northern Africa
471
00:45:52,110 --> 00:45:53,323
and southern Spain.
472
00:45:56,810 --> 00:45:59,553
The water separates the Mediterranean and Atlantic.
473
00:46:01,820 --> 00:46:04,820
As the killers are here to feast on bluefin tuna
474
00:46:04,820 --> 00:46:06,343
that migrate to the Straits,
475
00:46:12,510 --> 00:46:15,200
whales often interact with fisheries
476
00:46:15,200 --> 00:46:16,753
that are after the same prey.
477
00:46:21,340 --> 00:46:24,410
With 8000 kilometers of coastline,
478
00:46:24,410 --> 00:46:27,473
Spain has the biggest fishing industry in Europe.
479
00:46:30,780 --> 00:46:34,840
It's worth over 2 billion euros to the Spanish economy,
480
00:46:34,840 --> 00:46:38,147
which equates to over a million tons of fish a year.
481
00:46:44,520 --> 00:46:47,290
With seafood being a major part of the local cuisine
482
00:46:50,560 --> 00:46:53,383
but it's not all big industrial fishing ships.
483
00:46:55,660 --> 00:46:58,170
There are many small independent fishermen
484
00:46:58,170 --> 00:47:00,440
taking a carefully controlled catch
485
00:47:00,440 --> 00:47:03,113
from a long Spain's rich Mediterranean shores.
486
00:47:04,703 --> 00:47:06,810
(soft music)
487
00:47:06,810 --> 00:47:10,530
Many areas are protected against over exploitation,
488
00:47:10,530 --> 00:47:12,423
creating a haven for marine life.
489
00:47:17,570 --> 00:47:20,570
Stripped dolphins, a small and agile species
490
00:47:20,570 --> 00:47:22,350
that's quite common in the Med
491
00:47:22,350 --> 00:47:24,080
seem to race the fishing vessels
492
00:47:31,090 --> 00:47:32,553
and beneath the surface,
493
00:47:33,571 --> 00:47:36,000
a hawkbill turtle dives under the reefs
494
00:47:40,050 --> 00:47:41,453
spooking an octopus.
495
00:47:45,760 --> 00:47:48,500
Common here octopus are extraordinary members
496
00:47:48,500 --> 00:47:51,993
of the mollusk family, related to squid and snails.
497
00:47:54,910 --> 00:47:56,870
But they are uniquely brainy
498
00:47:56,870 --> 00:47:58,823
with problem solving intelligence.
499
00:48:00,130 --> 00:48:02,310
Expertise in camouflaging on the reef
500
00:48:03,840 --> 00:48:06,483
and extracting prey from between the rocks.
501
00:48:09,200 --> 00:48:12,570
Mediterranean slipper lobsters rely on their body armor,
502
00:48:12,570 --> 00:48:16,223
as well as their terrain to protect them from predators.
503
00:48:20,670 --> 00:48:22,933
The marine life of Spain is amazing.
504
00:48:23,900 --> 00:48:28,113
There are considered to be 900 different marine habitats,
505
00:48:29,530 --> 00:48:32,283
supporting 10,000 species of animals.
506
00:48:33,640 --> 00:48:35,690
The richest marine diversity in Europe
507
00:48:46,380 --> 00:48:49,190
from cold ocean to tropical paradise
508
00:48:49,190 --> 00:48:50,523
and everything in between.
509
00:48:51,601 --> 00:48:54,351
(cheerful music)
510
00:48:57,647 --> 00:49:00,340
Spain is full of wonder.
511
00:49:00,340 --> 00:49:02,153
Even for those who don't explore.
512
00:49:04,550 --> 00:49:07,640
Spain has done more than most to preserve its wildlife
513
00:49:10,750 --> 00:49:12,240
and wild places
514
00:49:17,530 --> 00:49:19,780
with nearly 30% of the land
515
00:49:19,780 --> 00:49:22,203
and 20% of its waters protected,
516
00:49:23,920 --> 00:49:28,423
keeping hidden Spain ready to be discovered by us all.
517
00:49:28,423 --> 00:49:30,423
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