Making Spain wild again - 2nd January 2023

The organisation "Rewilding Europe" has some exciting plans. It wants to change the Iberian Highlands. This area's situated in the east of Spain. Rewilding Europe plans to return certain animals to the region. It also hopes to protect its forests.

The Rewilding Europe project will help a huge area – 8,500 square kilometres. The place is natural and wild, with fewer than two people per square kilometre. As team leader, Pablo Schapira said, "It's very rare to find these kinds of places in Europe."

One of the first steps is to put back birds of prey into the region. Those are animals which eat small animals. 15 huge black vultures will be freed each year. Recently, cows similar to ancient cows and wild horses were brought in too.

In a year or two, a wild cat – the Iberian lynx – will be returned. Like the vultures, lynx also eat small animals, so are "predators". It's hoped such animals will keep the food chain safe.

Over the past decades, people have moved away to find work. But "Rewilding Europe" hopes to attract tourists. This will bring money and jobs to the Iberian Highlands.

That means this project isn't just important for the environment, but for people as well.