Europe's Biggest Wetlands Under Threat
The Iberian lynx, once on the brink of extinction, now stands as a symbol of hope with over 1600 individuals roaming free in Spain and Portugal. But amidst this success story lies a stark reality: the Doñana National Park’s biodiversity is under severe threat.
#lynx #wetlands #europe #spain #doñana #hope #biodiversity #conservation
#lynx #wetlands #europe #spain #doñana #hope #biodiversity #conservation
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00:00 The Iberian Lynx. Emblematic, enigmatic. In 2002 there were fewer than a hundred left
00:07 in the wild. Now, thanks to conservation and reintroduction efforts, over 1,600 roam free
00:16 across Spain and Portugal. But the lynx is a rare success story, and Dona Ana National
00:24 Park's world-renowned biodiversity is in real peril. Its aquifers and lagoons drying up.
00:31 Just look at the bird census numbers for example. They're dramatic. Many of these species that
00:41 used to spend the winter nest and lay eggs in Dona Ana are suffering. We've never seen
00:46 a situation this alarming before, particularly for amphibians and aquatic birds. The truth
00:52 is if things keep going like this, I don't see any future. There is no future. This is
00:59 the Acebuche Lagoon, or what's left of it at least. It dried up five years ago, eliminating
01:05 habitat for a wide variety of species. In its heyday, Dona Ana would winter over half
01:12 a million birds. This past December, only 70,000 were counted. The national park sits
01:19 on an underground water reserve in an area almost twice the size of London. So why is
01:25 Dona Ana drying up? This sea of plastic conceals part of the answer, according to Spain's World
01:32 Wildlife Fund. Huelva province produces 98% of Spain's red fruits and around 30% of the
01:39 EU's crop. But in Dona Ana, over 1,300 producing hectares are illegal, a space the size of
01:48 1,800 football pitches. Conservationists say water theft is killing Dona Ana. Farmers argue
01:55 that this is their livelihood. Around 80,000 people are employed directly by this type
02:02 of agriculture in this area. One hectare of red berries provides full-time work for 10
02:08 people. We're talking about many towns around here with a lot of families economically dependent
02:13 on this industry. When the right-leaning regional government voted in 2022 to grant an amnesty
02:20 to illegal farmers, it sparked an international outcry. Within days, more than 150,000 people
02:27 in Germany signed a petition to boycott strawberries grown in Dona Ana. And Prime Minister Pedro
02:34 Sanchez tweeted in support, saying climate change denial is destroying our environment.
02:40 In November 2023, a $1.5 billion deal was struck between the national and regional governments,
02:47 aiming at incentivising the farmers to switch to ecological farming. But that's yet to be
02:53 put in place. Dona Ana's wetlands and treasured biodiversity remain in grave danger of disappearing
03:00 forever.