Europe's New Wild

In the Carpathian mountains and other wildlife strongholds, nature is being given a helping hand. The reintroduction of European Bison and the spread of the Grey wolf across the continent signal a wildlife comeback which is benefiting not only other animals but humans as well.

Across the Iberian peninsula, food chains and ecosystems are being restored allowing a host of endangered animals, including the Iberian Lynx - rarest cat in the world - to flourish once again. In Portugal’s Coa Valley, the introduction of ancient species is transforming the landscape and heralding the return of the region’s top predators.

The Danube is the largest preserved wetland on the continent, a sanctuary for thousands of species - many are the last of their kind. Every year the delta advances 30 meters into the Black sea, but its future depends on the efforts of conservationists working to preserve these unique and fragile habitats.

The wilds of Lapland have served as a home for the Sami people and their reindeer for thousands of years. But with the modern world threatening their traditional way of life, the Sami are working with conservation groups to protect and rewild one of Europe’s most extreme wildernesses. Now, Lapland is witnessing wildlife spectacles return to the land of ice and snow.