Craig Langren

I've travelled about two hours northeast from the capital of Madrid to meet biologist Pablo Shapira. Pablo heads up the team at an NGO called Rewilding Spain. And today he's taking me for a walk in the Iberian Highlands, a rugged area where tall trees with orange and red leaves cling to the hillsides.

I've travelled about two hours northeast from the capital of Madrid to meet biologist Pablo Shapira. Pablo heads up the team at an NGO called Rewilding Spain. And today he's taking me for a walk in the Iberian Highlands, a rugged area where tall trees with orange and red leaves cling to the hillsides.

I've travelled about two hours northeast from the capital of Madrid to meet biologist Pablo Shapira. Pablo heads up the team at an NGO called Rewilding Spain. And today he's taking me for a walk in the Iberian Highlands, a rugged area where tall trees with orange and red leaves cling to the hillsides.

One of the reasons for this is that the forests have been left to grow unchecked, as there simply aren't enough animals to feed on all the trees, bushes and grass. And the more dense this vegetation is, the more likely it is to catch fire.

One of the reasons for this is that the forests have been left to grow unchecked, as there simply aren't enough animals to feed on all the trees, bushes and grass. And the more dense this vegetation is, the more likely it is to catch fire.

One of the reasons for this is that the forests have been left to grow unchecked, as there simply aren't enough animals to feed on all the trees, bushes and grass. And the more dense this vegetation is, the more likely it is to catch fire.

Pablo's solution is really quite simple, to reintroduce some of these long-lost big beasts of the forest and let them run wild.

Pablo's solution is really quite simple, to reintroduce some of these long-lost big beasts of the forest and let them run wild.

Pablo's solution is really quite simple, to reintroduce some of these long-lost big beasts of the forest and let them run wild.

So I can just see one of the Prowalski horses in the distance.

So I can just see one of the Prowalski horses in the distance.

So I can just see one of the Prowalski horses in the distance.

This particular type of horse is called the Prowalski horse and it's the world's last species of truly wild horse.

This particular type of horse is called the Prowalski horse and it's the world's last species of truly wild horse.

This particular type of horse is called the Prowalski horse and it's the world's last species of truly wild horse.

Wow, they're beautiful, aren't they?

Wow, they're beautiful, aren't they?

Wow, they're beautiful, aren't they?

Really big, brown, with a long mane that's quite distinctive. Pablo and his team started reintroducing these horses to this area in 2023, and there are now 26 dotted around the forest.

Really big, brown, with a long mane that's quite distinctive. Pablo and his team started reintroducing these horses to this area in 2023, and there are now 26 dotted around the forest.