ORF-E
English
1 x 52 min
Worldwide except for Germany and France

Portugal was once a great power linking the Old and New Worlds, and the urge to explore, and return, is key to understanding its wildlife and landscapes. Wild horses small enough to fit on cramped ocean-going ships were captured in Portugal’s northern mountains, and exported to gold-greedy Conquistadores in the Americas. Other horses: sea-horses in their colonies on the Algarve’s sandy coast – face the excesses of tourism: plunging anchors, noisy jetskis; and illegal capture for the far eastern medicine trade. In Portugal, the ancient elements of Air, Earth, Fire and Water rule: 20th century dictator Antonio Salazar imported quickgrowing eucalyptus trees to boost timber production. But, sucking up groundwater and producing inflammable oils, their devastating annual forest fi res are now resisted only by Portugal’s traditional cork oaks. And that’s why thousands of white storks build their nests in these hardy trees – and in an even safer place: on the pillars of rock that line Portugal´s stark Atlantic cliffs, buffeted by the world’s biggest waves. Beyond the ocean horizon, south of Madeira, lies the aptlynamed Desertas Island, a last refuge for fiercely protected Mediterranean monk seals; while two hundred metres above them, Europe’s largest wolf spider rules the bare rocks. With its one white egg holding 200 young, this endangered species has brought up its numbers to 5,000. Back on the mainland, in a fairy-tale forest behind a sixteen-kilometer wall, Portugal’s former royal hunting grounds now protect roe deer, red deer, and wild boar. And Portugal’s wildlife is further enhanced by the winter colony of fl amingos in the Tejo Delta close to Lisbon. Climate change means the birds no longer have to migrate to Africa.

当葡萄牙还是一个连接新旧世界的强权时，他们捕获了一些野生的山地马，这些马小到可以装入狭窄的远洋船只，然后出口到贪婪的征服者手中。如今，葡萄牙的阿尔加维海马正受到旅游业过度发展的威胁:坠入的锚、嘈杂的水上摩托、非法捕捞。20世纪葡萄牙的独裁者萨拉查为木材工业引进易燃的桉树，这导致了毁灭性的火灾。但今天，数百只白鹳仍在可防火的古老葡萄牙橡树上筑巢;而另一些则在世界上最大的海浪冲击的大西洋沿岸的悬崖和岩柱上筑巢。濒临灭绝的地中海僧海豹正在沙漠岛附近重建它们的数量，这是一个由欧洲最大的狼蛛统治的岩礁。随着气候变化，大批火烈鸟没有迁移到非洲，而是在里斯本的特霍三角洲扎营过冬。葡萄牙:仍然是一个伟大冒险的起点和一个受欢迎的家-平衡于陆地和海洋之间的门槛。

Award :Mountainfilm Festival (2020): Honourable Mention (won)