Wild Spain
Spain is one of the world’s most popular holiday destinations. But sandy beaches and world famous towns are just one side of Spain. The Cantabrian mountain range in the north is habitat for around 140 brown bears.
The Atlantic North
From the reedy areas in the Basque Country, via the fantastic world of the Cantabrian mountain range, to Galicia with its spectacular coasts: This is the North Spanish wilderness, which offers unheard of diversity and reveals a hitherto completely unknown side of Spain. In the wetlands during the rutting season, red deer carry out their bitter power struggles until the water around them appears to blister and boil. The Cantabrian mountain range is habitat for around 140 Cantabrian brown bears – Western Europe’s greatest bear population. The females wander from place to place in search of food. Adult male bears and steep mountain slopes are a permanent danger for the youngsters. Iridescent blue throats, defending their territorial borders against rivals, appear to observe them. Above the timberline is the Kingdom of the Cantabrian chamois. They share their habitat with the colourful wallcreeper - an extremely rare bird of the tall mountain region. The Asturian fire salamander is the only one of its kind with a complete yellow hue - he hunts his prey on the banks of the countless streams that flow into the Atlantic, which is inhabited by giants; from sperm whales to basking sharks, the world’s second largest fish. The rugged north has shaped the identity of its inhabitants. The film accompanies a mountain farmer in the Picos de Europa National Park, who still operates traditional livestock farming and a goose barnacle collector on the Costa da Morte, who quite possibly has the world’s most dangerous job. Common to both is the fact that neither of them would exchange their homeland for life in the city.
The Mediterranean South
From the dreamlike Mediterranean and spectacular canyon landscapes of Andalusia, to the expanses of the Extremadura with its holm oak forests that stretch toward the horizon. Even in the south of Spain, highly popular with holidaymakers, there is still much waiting to be discovered. Genets hunt for prey under cover of night. These viverrid representatives can be found in their greatest numbers on the Iberian Peninsula. And nowhere else in Europe are there as many vultures as here in Spain. It’s an unparalleled spectacle, when griffon vultures quarrel over carrion. The European Chameleon has a by far more ingenious method of feeding: within a fraction of a second, he shoots out his half-a-metre-long tongue; once in his sights, the insects don’t have a chance. The unmistakeable hoopoe with his typical feather bonnet is also pleased with the rich variety of insects on offer in Spain. Especially in the spring, when the birds have to feed their insatiable juniors. With around 30,000 brooding couples, white storks have one of their most important areas of distribution in Spain. But it’s underwater, where the wealth of animals in Southern Spain reaches its zenith. The protected reserves in the Mediterranean reveal an incomparable variety of species: weird sea slugs of almost alien appearance, graceful sea horses, huge swarms of barracudas and elegant blue sharks all have their habitat here. Spain’s south has shaped the identity of the regions inhabitants. The film accompanies a farmer in the Extremadura, Spain’s Wild West, as well as a fisherman who operates sustainable fishing off the coast of the Cabo de Gata reserve. Common to both is the fact that neither of them would consider exchanging their homeland for a life in the city. Wild Spain – The Mediterranean South reveals the unknown side of a region that many think they know, but in which there is so much more to discover.
