The Wild Heart of Spain

The heart of Spain is a tough land of extreme weather and inspiring landscapes full of wildlife. From high peaks of rock and ice to pristine rivers and ancient forests, here we find iconic animals that have made this place home.

The winter starts with a journey through the highest mountain range in Spain: the Pyrenees. Here, boreal animals isolated from the ice age like the Capercaillie still survive. The last Brown Bears of Spain, kings in the Cantabrian mountains, wake up from their winter sleep with the males looking for females. In the Central system mountain range, a pair of Golden Eagles show us their struggle to raise their chick in the high plateaus.

Spring in the forests reveals a great biodiversity. Here nest from little colorful passerine birds to the great Black stork. The south of the Iberian Peninsula is covered by holm oaks. In these Mediterranean forests lives a unique predator that depends almost exclusively on rabbits: the Iberian Lynx, one of the most endangered cats on Earth. Many of the most important rivers of the Iberian Peninsula are born in the heart of Spain. These waters are home offish eaters like Otters and Kingfishers but also of the bizarre looking Hydras, an invertebrate that hunts at the bottom of the streams. This tiny creature could reveal to us the key of immortality.

The Deer rut marks the beginning of autumn. After the epic battles in favour of the females, many stags die exhausted and will be the chance for Griffon Vultures and the emblematic Black Vulture to clean up the forest. In the high plateaus, we follow a lonely couple of Wolves in their journey to find food, hiding from man's persecution.

The wind of winter brings signs of change and all the animals will prepare for another season in the wild heart of Spain.