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Europe is a densely packed continent

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with some 700 million human residents across 50 countries.

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It's famed for its cities and ancient civilizations

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but the continent is also a treasure trove

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of natural beauty, a mosaic of landscapes

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each filled with their own unique animal communities.

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(soft music)

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If you were planning a bucket list trip

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of the natural wonders of Europe,

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where would you start?

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(dramatic music)

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Tracking polar bears, the ultimate bucket list adventure.

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But perhaps not one you might consider in Europe,

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but in Northern Europe, some of the countries of Scandinavia

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stretch right up into the Arctic circle

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into the land of the ice bear.

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This is the biggest land carnivore on the planet

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let alone Europe.

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A big male can stand three meters tall

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not something to mess with, but one of the most

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spectacular natural wonders of Europe

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though this giant is just the tip of the iceberg.

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At one time, the whole of Europe was under

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a great ice sheet, an extension of the Arctic ice cap

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during the last ice age.

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The ice retreated and now you have to go

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to the far North to see it.

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But if you brave the cold, there are other ice age relics

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still roaming the wild.

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On the bleak Tundra of Norway,

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look out for muskox with shaggy coats

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that record a long gone mammoths.

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The muskox look like Tundra buffalo,

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but are in fact supersized sheep.

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For the ultimate showdown, get ringside seats for the rut.

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The broad-based horns are thick pads of hair,

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homemade crash helmets.

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They can absorb shock, which is just as well

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in their self-induced head-on collisions.

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Wildlife can be hard to find at this frigid end

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of the continent, but natural wonders abound.

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You could explore the steaming bubbling geezers of Iceland.

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Though far out in the Atlantic,

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far West of the rest of Europe

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it's still part of the continent though straddling

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the North American continental plate as well.

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Because it sits on the fault line,

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it is a living monument to the forces of nature.

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Born of volcanoes,

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the ground continues to bubble and boil.

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There are still more than 20 active volcanoes.

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But this is a land of fire and ice.

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Glaciers cover 11% of the country.

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One of them, the biggest in Europe

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is three times the size of Luxembourg.

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While exploring the Wild Coast,

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watch out for the Icelandic ponies believed to be

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one of the purest breeds of horse in the world.

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After Great Britain,

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Iceland is Europe's largest island

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and yet it is the least populated country in Europe

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with endless wild landscapes to explore.

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All across Europe's extreme North,

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one of the top drawers for Intrepid tourists

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is the charms to gaze at the mesmerizing Northern Lights.

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Storms on the surface of the sun,

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blast out clouds of highly charged particles,

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known as electrons.

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When they collide with the particles in Earth's atmosphere,

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the energy is released discharging clouds of light.

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That is the official explanation, but during human history

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there've been many theories on the dancing lights

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ranging from a bridge for the gods

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to the spirits of the dead dancing across the sky.

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Whether you go for the romantic or scientific explanations

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there is no doubt this natural wonder

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will take your breath away.

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As day breaks over Norway's Coasts,

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some of the most dramatic Fiordland on the planet

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why not jump on a boat and go in search of Marine life?

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During the fierce winter storms herring escape

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the oceans fury by sheltering here.

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And when they do, giants follow.

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Its one of the best places to get up close

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and personal with magnificent killer whales.

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The bleak landscapes have always been a tough place

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for humans to live.

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But to spend time with some of the last true nomads

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of the North, should be right up there

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on everyone's bucket list.

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And what better way than trekking with the Sami people

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and their herds of semi domestic reindeer.

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Their relationship probably began as the landscape

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of the ice age retreated

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and to people followed the natural deer migration north.

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Thousands of years ago, the animals had already

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been partly domesticated.

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They still roam wild following their migratory instincts

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and finding their own food, but the Sami protect them

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from predators as they escort the herds harvesting animals

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for meat and leather.

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An ancient relationship and a glimpse into the past

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that is irresistible to explore.

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Crossing the North Sea to Europe's largest island,

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you might glimpse one of the smallest marine mammals,

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the Harbour porpoise.

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Very small and hard to spot it's worth the effort

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to lay eyes on this perpetually smiling

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cousin of the dolphins.

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Greeted by the famous White Cliffs of Dover,

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you might begin a tour of the British Isles.

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These cliffs were thrust up by the same forces

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that created the Alps.

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The chalk is made from fossilized bodies of billions

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of tiny sea creatures that lived and died

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during the time of the dinosaurs.

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Some of the larger forms can still be seen eroding

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from the cliffs.

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Giant sharks cruise, the coastlines of the UK during summer.

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The second biggest fish on the planet, a face to face

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with the harmless filter feeding basking shark

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should be on any water lover's list.

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Though its closest cousin is the great white,

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to which it bears a strong resemblance,

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it's teeth are minute.

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Opening its mouth wide, its gills do all the work

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processing nearly 2000 tons of water an hour

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sieving out tiny creatures from the plankton.

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Every summer, the mysterious giants appear close to shore

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especially along the UK's West Coast.

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These more rugged coastlines provide hiding

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and feeding spots for otters.

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This much loved animals live all across the continent

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usually in freshwater lakes and rivers,

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but here they've adapted to a seafood diet.

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The rich coast is teaming with fish for them to eat

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a resource that also feeds huge seabird colonies

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including 70% of the world's Northern gannets,

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kittiwakes, guillemots, shags and irresistibly cute puffins.

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For most of the year they live out at sea,

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but during the early months of summer

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they dig holes or use rabbit tunnels on the cliffs

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to raise their young affording visitors a closeup view.

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(bird sounds)

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The Scottish West Coast has some of the most

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breathtaking views and they don't stop as you had inland.

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A hike across the Highlands is ideal for taking in

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the landscape and enjoying ancient farmland.

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Red deer stand majestically on the peaks

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and golden Eagles soar overhead.

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The Highlands can seem vast but nothing compared

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to the endless expansive mainland Europe.

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The continent is breached by seemingly endless forest.

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The ice age cleared the continent of trees,

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but in the years that followed, they reclaimed the land.

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7,000 years ago, most of the continent was forested.

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A long and complicated history with humans

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changed all of that with most cleared for fuel

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and the building materials and to make way for farm land.

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Thankfully in some areas more recent forests have developed.

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In fact, Europe is one of the few parts of the world

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where forest cover has actually increased in recent years.

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The continent is one of the most forest rich parts

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of the world with 35% of land blanketed by trees.

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And there are still small pockets of untouched virgin forest

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that remain biodiversity hotspots unmissable

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on any bucket list wildlife tour.

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They are a stronghold for rare birds, fungus and flowers.

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Germany is especially rich with over 30% of land

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cloaked in lush green.

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The vast pine forests are dark and mysterious,

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magical and full of secrets.

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Like the biggest member of the grouse family

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on the continent, the impressive capercaillie.

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If you are going to seek out these feathered beauties,

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be sure to do it in their breeding season

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for the best posturing and noise.

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(bird sounds)

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While the lush green deciduous forests provide shelter,

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for wild boar,

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the ancestor of domestic pigs.

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They live in female led groups known as sounders.

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Even lynx, shy and secretive top predators of the forest

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hide out here.

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The dappled cats were wiped out across most of Europe

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but here numbers are slowly creeping up.

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Even with a healthy population,

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wild lynx are cryptic and seldom seen.

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With their beautiful spotted coats,

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they can blend into their surroundings

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helping Cubs to explore safely.

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The great forests of Poland are more ancient and majestic.

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Still a stronghold for wolves,

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though shrouded in fear and superstition

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instances of wolves showing any aggression to people

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are extremely rare.

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They are normally shy and secretive finding remote patches

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of wilderness to raise their families.

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Left to their own devices,

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wolves are prolific breeders with the whole pack

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helping to raise the alpha pairs pups.

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They play a vital role in controlling the numbers

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of game animals that could otherwise

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overgraze the vegetation.

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Wolves are dramatic creditors that once lived

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throughout the Northern hemisphere, but have been

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ruthlessly hunted by people to protect livestock.

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Here they can hunt their native prey,

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including the biggest of Europe's land animals,

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the European bison.

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The huge wild cattle were hunted

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to extinction in the 20th century

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only a few in captivity escaped.

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But from those few large herds have been bred

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and slowly reintroduced into a few of their former haunts.

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For a nature lover wild Europe

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doesn't get much more exciting than this.

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Watching a scene like this is like looking back

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into history, a landscape unchanged in thousands of years.

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But Europe's forests very wildly,

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especially as you transverse the continent.

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The cold stunted forest of the Arctic Tundra in the North

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give way to dark green pine forests

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and then the lush green deciduous forests.

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Until you reach a Mediterranean landscape,

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the continents Southern extreme

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only heat tolerant trees make a living here.

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Like evergreen oaks species like holm

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and the remarkable cork oak.

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The gnarly holes in the trunks provide protection

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for wildlife, including this family of hoopoe

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one of Europe's quirkiest birds.

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The small insect eaters look bigger than they are

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because of their slightly ostentatious head gear.

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The thick bark is flame-retardant to protect them

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from wildfires.

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But it's rubbery, fast-growing properties

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have drawn admirers.

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These people are carrying on a traditional industry

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that has played out in South Western Europe for eons.

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Stripping the tree of its bark to make cork.

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Wine stoppers and bathroom tiles start life here.

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It looks drastic, but one of the plant's remarkable

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qualities is that it can regenerate the bark.

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And after a decade enough we'll have regrown for them

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to be harvested again.

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Because of the economic importance of the trees

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pockets of oak have been set aside and protected

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a safe haven for shy and elegant black storks.

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While mostly rolling green hills,

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Europe has straddled by several dramatic mountain ranges

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demonstrating the unfathomable forces of geology.

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An Intrepid bucket-list explorer might seek

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a heavy duty hike in the Carpathian Mountain Ranges.

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The highest and most dramatic peaks are those

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of the Tatra Mountains punctuating the boundary

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between Slovakia and Poland.

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At well over two and 1/2 thousand meters tall,

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the range is a challenging obstacle.

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Though some residents take the peaks in their stride

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like the nimble chamois.

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Large hearts and an abundance of red blood cells

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allow the little wild goats to cope

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with the extreme altitudes where oxygen levels are lower

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00:28:20,310 --> 00:28:22,450
and they're tiny rubbery hooves grip

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00:28:22,450 --> 00:28:23,723
the slippery rocks.

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00:28:27,860 --> 00:28:29,780
Spotting an agile chamois

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00:28:29,780 --> 00:28:32,423
means you have made it to Europe's high country.

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There's another even more dramatic mountain goat

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00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:52,947
to keep an eye out for, the ibex.

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00:29:00,182 --> 00:29:05,182
The noble beasts roam all of Europe's major mountains.

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Though the Iberian Mountains have their own isolated species

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00:29:17,770 --> 00:29:20,260
and in the beautiful mountains of Iberia

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the South Eastern parts of the continent,

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it's not the only unique wildlife.

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The rugged country protects little spots

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00:29:28,100 --> 00:29:31,820
of wildness that are sheltered a variety of wildlife

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00:29:31,820 --> 00:29:33,873
even pyrenean brown bears.

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00:29:40,010 --> 00:29:43,470
In the less populated and mountains of Eastern Europe,

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brown bears still roam.

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00:29:51,240 --> 00:29:54,700
But where denser human populations have sprung up,

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00:29:54,700 --> 00:29:56,173
bears are all but gone.

283
00:30:03,220 --> 00:30:07,260
Carefully protected, the Iberian bears are making

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00:30:07,260 --> 00:30:11,733
a slow comeback with more than 300 roaming the high country.

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00:30:13,040 --> 00:30:16,280
It's not easy to find them, but well worth the effort

286
00:30:16,280 --> 00:30:18,280
trying to tick them off the bucket list.

287
00:30:21,900 --> 00:30:24,410
And while searching there's every chance

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00:30:24,410 --> 00:30:26,973
of spotting other stunning wildlife.

289
00:30:30,080 --> 00:30:32,070
From the bold and bolshy wall creeper

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00:30:38,216 --> 00:30:41,633
to the gigantic vultures flying overhead.

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00:30:45,505 --> 00:30:48,005
(bird sounds)

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00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:03,520
You might spot all five of the continents cleanup crew

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00:31:07,900 --> 00:31:11,520
The impressive lammergeier, huge black vulture,

294
00:31:17,160 --> 00:31:19,860
the much smaller yellow headed Egyptian vulture

295
00:31:22,510 --> 00:31:24,610
and the very similar and enormous

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00:31:24,610 --> 00:31:26,813
Griffon and Ruppell's vultures.

297
00:31:29,660 --> 00:31:32,910
The vultures not only have an important job to do

298
00:31:32,910 --> 00:31:36,530
clearing up the dead and preventing the spread of disease,

299
00:31:36,530 --> 00:31:39,930
but also provide some of the most dramatic birdwatching

300
00:31:39,930 --> 00:31:41,403
as they soar overhead.

301
00:31:49,610 --> 00:31:53,100
And of course the landscape itself is a feast

302
00:31:53,100 --> 00:31:55,653
for the eyes and food for the soul.

303
00:31:59,640 --> 00:32:01,480
The mountains and the rocks they are made

304
00:32:01,480 --> 00:32:04,633
of are as diverse as the wildlife living on them.

305
00:32:08,810 --> 00:32:12,800
In some areas the bedrock is soft like the limestone

306
00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:14,543
of Croatia and Hungary.

307
00:32:24,260 --> 00:32:27,770
Seeping rainwater gradually nibbles away at this rock

308
00:32:27,770 --> 00:32:32,770
and over eons sculpt stunning caves, gorges and waterfalls

309
00:32:44,968 --> 00:32:47,718
another natural wonder to explore

310
00:32:52,924 --> 00:32:55,757
and the place to look for dragons.

311
00:33:04,830 --> 00:33:07,710
In the depths of the limestone caves

312
00:33:07,710 --> 00:33:11,050
where the endless drips of water build stalactites

313
00:33:11,050 --> 00:33:15,423
from minerals dissolved within them are dragon nurseries.

314
00:33:16,790 --> 00:33:19,190
The pools without sunlight

315
00:33:19,190 --> 00:33:22,030
in the absence of plants are crystal clear

316
00:33:23,190 --> 00:33:25,897
making it possible to spot the olm.

317
00:33:27,600 --> 00:33:29,890
Not the most impressive creature

318
00:33:29,890 --> 00:33:32,090
considering that for hundreds of years

319
00:33:32,090 --> 00:33:36,130
they were considered to be baby dragons waiting to grow

320
00:33:36,130 --> 00:33:38,573
before they emerged to reck havoc on the land.

321
00:33:40,310 --> 00:33:44,090
The truth is this little colorless amphibian

322
00:33:44,090 --> 00:33:47,940
is Europe's only true troglodyte or cave dweller

323
00:33:50,470 --> 00:33:55,110
In a lightless world, the salamander is completely blind

324
00:33:55,110 --> 00:33:58,320
and uses heightened senses of hearing and to taste

325
00:33:58,320 --> 00:34:00,533
to find its prey in the pools.

326
00:34:02,540 --> 00:34:05,630
The movement of water that shapes these lands ultimately

327
00:34:05,630 --> 00:34:08,053
join some of Europe's spectacular rivers.

328
00:34:09,580 --> 00:34:11,893
Thousands crisscross the continent.

329
00:34:14,870 --> 00:34:19,210
The Danube runs from Germany through Austria, Hungary

330
00:34:19,210 --> 00:34:22,970
Croatia, Serbia, and Romania before spilling

331
00:34:22,970 --> 00:34:24,213
into the Black Sea.

332
00:34:28,750 --> 00:34:30,770
The rivers teem with fish

333
00:34:33,040 --> 00:34:36,190
and the charismatic creatures that hunt them like otters

334
00:35:02,320 --> 00:35:05,213
and king fishers, the jewels of the river.

335
00:35:11,410 --> 00:35:15,320
At its lower elevations, stunning rivers of Europe flow

336
00:35:15,320 --> 00:35:18,223
across lush green landscapes and farmland.

337
00:35:20,270 --> 00:35:24,000
And before they reach the sea, some open out

338
00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:25,683
into vast deltas.

339
00:35:31,210 --> 00:35:33,890
These wetlands are a magnet for wildlife

340
00:35:34,940 --> 00:35:37,910
like the Camargue in France or here

341
00:35:37,910 --> 00:35:41,253
the wetlands of Andalusia on the Southern Coast of Spain.

342
00:35:43,950 --> 00:35:47,750
The Delta of the Guadalquivir River creates mud flats

343
00:35:47,750 --> 00:35:50,980
and marshes that make it one of the most important sites

344
00:35:50,980 --> 00:35:52,993
in Europe for wetland birds,

345
00:35:54,570 --> 00:35:56,843
a bird Watchers bucket-list paradise.

346
00:36:02,320 --> 00:36:06,753
Herons, spoonbills and ducks flock

347
00:36:11,860 --> 00:36:14,683
along with one of the most exotic sites in Europe,

348
00:36:18,310 --> 00:36:19,693
greater flamingos.

349
00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:39,730
Their seductive pinks coming from the coloring

350
00:36:39,730 --> 00:36:42,463
and the tiny shrimps they sift from the water.

351
00:36:58,530 --> 00:37:00,910
Spotted fallow deer pick their way

352
00:37:00,910 --> 00:37:03,370
through the wet ground, rubbing shoulders

353
00:37:03,370 --> 00:37:05,370
with some ancient breeds introduced

354
00:37:05,370 --> 00:37:06,770
by the people of the region.

355
00:37:08,260 --> 00:37:10,650
The horses here are among the oldest breeds

356
00:37:10,650 --> 00:37:14,020
of domestic animals and pretty much live wild

357
00:37:21,910 --> 00:37:25,570
as well as Spain's famous fighting bulls which are very much

358
00:37:25,570 --> 00:37:27,183
at home in the marshy ground.

359
00:37:36,460 --> 00:37:40,453
Like most rivers, the Guadalquivir flows into the sea.

360
00:37:41,960 --> 00:37:44,760
Flowing from Southern Spain, you'd be forgiven

361
00:37:44,760 --> 00:37:47,650
for thinking it would run into the Mediterranean

362
00:37:47,650 --> 00:37:50,573
but this river spills into the Atlantic ocean.

363
00:37:54,770 --> 00:37:56,740
It's close to the mouth of the Med

364
00:37:56,740 --> 00:37:58,923
but there is one thing standing in its way,

365
00:38:03,160 --> 00:38:05,253
the spectacular rock of Gibraltar.

366
00:38:06,480 --> 00:38:10,120
From its peak you can look across to Africa,

367
00:38:10,120 --> 00:38:13,200
to the East, the fringes of the North Atlantic ,

368
00:38:13,200 --> 00:38:16,543
to the West the stunning turquoise of the Mediterranean.

369
00:38:19,800 --> 00:38:23,590
The splinter of land jutting out into the sea is just short

370
00:38:23,590 --> 00:38:27,720
of seven square kilometers and yet it's been important

371
00:38:27,720 --> 00:38:30,273
to humans for 50,000 years or more.

372
00:38:31,400 --> 00:38:34,550
Much of the wildlife here reflects its proximity

373
00:38:34,550 --> 00:38:38,730
to North Africa particularly the famous Barbary macaques,

374
00:38:38,730 --> 00:38:41,963
monkeys imported from Morocco hundreds of years ago

375
00:38:43,920 --> 00:38:46,490
the rocks most famous inhabitants.

376
00:38:46,490 --> 00:38:48,803
The monkeys are a tourist magnet.

377
00:38:49,910 --> 00:38:51,460
Who wouldn't want to meet them?

378
00:38:54,130 --> 00:38:57,420
The only primates in Europe, they've become important

379
00:38:57,420 --> 00:38:59,360
in safeguarding their species

380
00:38:59,360 --> 00:39:01,883
as their African ancestors are becoming rare.

381
00:39:03,800 --> 00:39:05,790
With the best seat in the house,

382
00:39:05,790 --> 00:39:07,760
the playful primates get a view

383
00:39:07,760 --> 00:39:09,283
along the Mediterranean Coast.

384
00:39:29,740 --> 00:39:32,020
Between the Sunkist ancient villages

385
00:39:32,020 --> 00:39:34,890
and fishing ports are quiet bays

386
00:39:34,890 --> 00:39:37,950
perfect for the Explorer who likes to take the plunge

387
00:39:37,950 --> 00:39:39,813
in search of marine treasures.

388
00:39:48,400 --> 00:39:52,153
Playful dolphins and a giant fish greet visitors.

389
00:39:59,890 --> 00:40:04,880
Small by sea standards, The Med offers 2.5 million

390
00:40:04,880 --> 00:40:08,473
square kilometers of marine paradise to explore.

391
00:40:12,620 --> 00:40:14,160
Off the coast of Italy

392
00:40:14,160 --> 00:40:17,643
the sea bed plunges to more than 5,000 meters.

393
00:40:23,310 --> 00:40:27,080
A bit deep for the average bucket-list thrill seeker

394
00:40:27,080 --> 00:40:29,990
but some of the residents that hunt squid in the debts

395
00:40:29,990 --> 00:40:32,320
do come to the surface to breathe

396
00:40:32,320 --> 00:40:34,140
offering a face to face

397
00:40:34,140 --> 00:40:38,140
with the biggest brained animals on the planet, sperm whales

398
00:40:57,020 --> 00:41:00,030
Though the giants might be the showstoppers,

399
00:41:00,030 --> 00:41:03,463
they are the tip of the iceberg in terms of marine species.

400
00:41:16,930 --> 00:41:20,800
The Med covers only 1% of the earth surface

401
00:41:20,800 --> 00:41:24,427
and yet one in 10 known Marine species can be found here

402
00:41:27,330 --> 00:41:30,270
from gigantic and mysterious sunfish

403
00:41:46,470 --> 00:41:49,350
to critically important populations of turtles

404
00:42:02,770 --> 00:42:05,573
and even one of the rarest animals on the planet.

405
00:42:07,870 --> 00:42:12,340
There are only around 700 Mediterranean monk seals left

406
00:42:13,440 --> 00:42:16,500
but carefully protected they are one of Europe's

407
00:42:16,500 --> 00:42:17,723
natural treasures.

408
00:42:19,890 --> 00:42:23,540
Still managing to find a few protective coves out of reach

409
00:42:23,540 --> 00:42:27,693
of disturbance, where they can raise their precious pups.

410
00:42:57,280 --> 00:42:59,540
The deep trenches of the Mediterranean

411
00:42:59,540 --> 00:43:02,423
are the base of great submarine mountain ranges.

412
00:43:08,610 --> 00:43:10,650
Some of their peaks can be seen protruding

413
00:43:10,650 --> 00:43:11,620
above the surface

414
00:43:22,110 --> 00:43:24,910
most dramatically along the profile of Italy

415
00:43:27,830 --> 00:43:31,290
It's a narrow strip of land more than 1/3 covered

416
00:43:31,290 --> 00:43:32,223
in mountains,

417
00:43:35,150 --> 00:43:38,013
great chains like the Apennine and the Alps.

418
00:43:50,630 --> 00:43:54,700
Some of Italy's islands like Sardinia are ancient

419
00:43:57,730 --> 00:43:59,753
500 million years old.

420
00:44:07,550 --> 00:44:12,120
Baked in the sun the hard granite rocks have little water.

421
00:44:12,120 --> 00:44:14,380
So the rare pools attract life

422
00:44:20,050 --> 00:44:24,503
including wild horses and water loving rodents, coypu.

423
00:44:28,150 --> 00:44:30,450
Both were put here by people.

424
00:44:30,450 --> 00:44:33,200
The horses in the ninth century and the coypu

425
00:44:33,200 --> 00:44:37,150
much more recently in the 1920s when fur farms

426
00:44:37,150 --> 00:44:39,870
imported them from South America.

427
00:44:39,870 --> 00:44:41,763
Now both seem very happy here.

428
00:44:51,510 --> 00:44:55,430
Sardinia is ancient, but other mountains of Italy are more

429
00:44:55,430 --> 00:44:57,723
recent and continue to grow.

430
00:45:02,960 --> 00:45:05,010
From Iceland to Italy,

431
00:45:05,010 --> 00:45:08,430
opposite ends of the European continental plate

432
00:45:08,430 --> 00:45:10,833
and both marked by volcanoes.

433
00:45:13,230 --> 00:45:16,270
Here the African plate is being pushed beneath the European

434
00:45:22,080 --> 00:45:25,180
Stromboli is one of the seven Aeolian Islands

435
00:45:25,180 --> 00:45:26,453
rising from the sea.

436
00:45:30,380 --> 00:45:34,060
There are 14 volcanoes in Italy and this is one

437
00:45:34,060 --> 00:45:38,053
of the four that remain active erupting every day.

438
00:45:44,140 --> 00:45:47,460
It's the growing peak of a volcano whose base

439
00:45:47,460 --> 00:45:49,823
lies 3000 meters beneath the scenes.

440
00:46:01,210 --> 00:46:04,520
The mountain ranges of Italy make it diverse

441
00:46:04,520 --> 00:46:07,520
and for thousands of years, it has been one of the most

442
00:46:07,520 --> 00:46:10,570
important countries for people with ancient

443
00:46:10,570 --> 00:46:13,373
and important cultures arising throughout history.

444
00:46:19,770 --> 00:46:23,890
It's ancient architecture is iconic bringing bucket listers

445
00:46:23,890 --> 00:46:25,233
from far and wide.

446
00:46:33,330 --> 00:46:35,910
Of course, all across the continent

447
00:46:35,910 --> 00:46:39,980
ancient and dramatic villages, towns and cities

448
00:46:39,980 --> 00:46:42,263
complete the rich journey through Europe.

449
00:46:43,740 --> 00:46:47,630
For millions of years, our ancestors have lived in Europe

450
00:46:48,560 --> 00:46:51,290
and the continent source some of the earliest human

451
00:46:51,290 --> 00:46:53,000
settlements and agriculture

452
00:46:55,880 --> 00:46:59,163
and later some of the earliest civilizations.

453
00:47:02,060 --> 00:47:05,450
It became a super power and influence culture all

454
00:47:05,450 --> 00:47:09,023
over the world and remains densely populated.

455
00:47:16,251 --> 00:47:19,920
(singing in foreign language)

456
00:47:19,920 --> 00:47:23,630
The huge number of countries makes the population of Europe

457
00:47:23,630 --> 00:47:26,430
some of the most colorful and culturally diverse

458
00:47:26,430 --> 00:47:28,294
bunch of people on the planet.

459
00:47:28,294 --> 00:47:29,211
One, two.

460
00:47:34,790 --> 00:47:38,640
Europe covers only 2% of the earth surface,

461
00:47:38,640 --> 00:47:41,683
but houses 11% of the population.

462
00:47:44,930 --> 00:47:48,280
However, it is still possible to find places

463
00:47:48,280 --> 00:47:51,490
where people have ancient traditional lifestyles

464
00:47:57,600 --> 00:47:59,803
and close connections to nature.

465
00:48:18,080 --> 00:48:21,653
But it's the landscape itself that really steals the show.

466
00:48:25,073 --> 00:48:28,363
From icebergs to subtropical beaches,

467
00:48:36,340 --> 00:48:39,820
wetlands to dense forests

468
00:48:43,210 --> 00:48:45,177
and mountains to deserts

469
00:48:56,697 --> 00:49:00,310
and the myriad of unique animal and plant species

470
00:49:00,310 --> 00:49:04,780
that call Europe home that make this great continent

471
00:49:04,780 --> 00:49:08,768
worthy of any bucket list exploration.

472
00:49:08,768 --> 00:49:11,351
(gentle music)