Man and the Earth

Iberian Wildlife Series

Documentary on Iberian's fauna

Where to Watch Man and the Earth • Iberian Wildlife Series

91 Episodes

The Lords of the Forest I
E1
The Lords of the Forest IThe life of the red deer, from birth to maturity.
The Lords of the Forest II
E2
The Lords of the Forest IIIn the forests and thickets of central, southern, and western Spain, in the ecosystem known as the Mediterranean forest, the second part of the deer saga takes place.
The Little Killers I
E3
The Little Killers IIn the animal community of the Mediterranean forest, small herbivores, plant-eating animals such as mice, garden dormice, rats, squirrels, and rabbits, are abundant. Their populations are kept in check by small and medium-sized predators, extremely useful ones, such as weasels, polecats, genets, and foxes: the little killers.
The Little Killers II
E4
The Little Killers IIIn the Mediterranean forest, small herbivores such as mice, garden dormice, rats, squirrels, and rabbits are abundant. Their populations are kept in check by medium-sized predators such as the weasel, polecats, genets, foxes, lynxes, common buzzards, and booted eagles.
The Black Vulture I
E5
The Black Vulture IThe great winged scavenger of the Mediterranean forest is the black vulture. In prehistoric times, black vultures must have fed on the remains of wolf feasts.
The Black Vulture II
E6
The Black Vulture IIThe great winged scavenger of the Mediterranean forest is the black vulture. In prehistoric times, black vultures must have fed on the remains of wolf feasts.
The Storks I
E7
The Storks IFamilies of white storks arrived on the Iberian Peninsula in the middle of winter. They return to their old nests and care for their young during spring. In midsummer, they migrate to their African wintering grounds. The European population of white storks has declined significantly.
The Storks II
E8
The Storks IIStorks have a wide and highly varied dietary range; they eat anything that is not plant matter. Their favorite prey includes frogs, toads, large insects, reptiles, and even chicks of ground-nesting birds.
Bonelli's Eagle I
E9
Bonelli's Eagle IThe fastest and most acrobatic of European eagles, known to Anglo-Saxon naturalists as the hawk-eagle, nests on the cliff faces and gorges of Mediterranean countries.
Bonelli's Eagle II
E10
Bonelli's Eagle IIThe fastest and most acrobatic of European eagles, known to Anglo-Saxon naturalists as the hawk-eagle, nests on the cliff faces and gorges of Mediterranean countries.
The Iberian Wild Goat I
E11
The Iberian Wild Goat IDefeated, before dying, the old wild goat remembers his life: the golden eagle attack in his youth, the harsh winters, the mating display, and the fight that cost him leadership of the herd.
The Iberian Wild Goat II
E12
The Iberian Wild Goat IIDefeated, before dying, the old wild goat remembers his life: the golden eagle attack in his youth, the harsh winters, the mating display, and the fight that cost him leadership of the herd.
The Pirate of the Thicket
E13
The Pirate of the ThicketThe most representative bird of prey of European forests is the goshawk. With swift and acrobatic flight, armed with powerful talons, and dressed in splendid, beautiful plumage, the goshawk hunts both birds and mammals. On the Iberian Peninsula, its common prey are rabbits and corvids.
Las Tablas de Daimiel I
E14
Las Tablas de Daimiel IShallow, vast steppe lagoons are of extraordinary importance for migratory waterfowl in Mediterranean countries. Drainage projects have destroyed very important lagoons.
Las Tablas de Daimiel II
E15
Las Tablas de Daimiel IIShallow, vast steppe lagoons are of extraordinary importance for migratory waterfowl in Mediterranean countries. Drainage projects have destroyed very important lagoons.
The Living Projectile
E16
The Living ProjectileThe fastest of all living animals is the peregrine falcon. In vertical or diagonal dives, it reaches speeds of over 350 km/h.
The Valley of the Eagles
E17
The Valley of the EaglesFour species of eagles live in Spain: the golden eagle, the imperial eagle, Bonelli's eagle, and the booted eagle. The imperial eagle is on the brink of extinction; the other three have greatly declined in number.
Taiga, the Goshawk
E18
Taiga, the GoshawkThrough the medieval rules of falconry, the bird is tamed and trained until its will is won over.
The Fawn I
E19
The Fawn IStarting from a close-up of the magnificent trophy, the life of the deer is reconstructed.
The Fawn II
E20
The Fawn IIThe life of the magnificent deer is like a river: from when he was nothing more than a cub chased by a lynx, protected by his mother from wolf attacks, to his final days brought down in a hunt.
El Hosquillo, Bears
E21
El Hosquillo, BearsDeep in the Cuenca mountain range, occupying a great tectonic trench of pine forests crossed by a crystalline river, lies an experimental hunting reserve of ICONA. Among the park's research and study programs, the conservation and reintroduction plan for the brown bear in its native regions stands out.
Falconry I
E22
Falconry IPeregrine falcons and other raptors have been domesticated by humans since ancient times to hunt various species of birds and mammals.
Falconry II
E23
Falconry IIIn the Middle Ages, the taming and use of high-flying falcons was known as "altanería."
The Shrike
E24
The ShrikeOne of the most fearsome pirates of the Mediterranean forest is a small bird barely larger than a sparrow. Capable of capturing mice, birds, and other small vertebrates with its hooked beak, it swoops like a cyclone even against scorpions, and does not hesitate to attack snakes.
The Last Vultures of Europe
E25
The Last Vultures of EuropeIn this episode, besides vultures, different species appear, among which the eagle (imperial and short-toed), storks, wolves, azure-winged magpies, and mouflon are worth highlighting. "The Last Vultures of Europe" is one of Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente's most acclaimed productions. This documentary about vultures received recognition at the Monte Carlo International Television Festival in 1975.
The Golden Eagle I
E26
The Golden Eagle IAn in-depth look at the Spanish golden eagle, from the courtship display to the moment the eaglets leave the nest.
The Golden Eagle II
E27
The Golden Eagle IIAn in-depth look at the Spanish golden eagle, from the courtship display to the moment the eaglets leave the nest.
The Garden Dormouse I
E28
The Garden Dormouse IIn this first part, all the processes of reproductive biology and rearing of the young of the species also known as the hill rat are described.
The Garden Dormouse II
E29
The Garden Dormouse IISecond part on the life of the garden dormouse, or hill rat. The garden dormouse is one of the most beautiful rodents in our fauna. Perhaps that is why it is one of the most coveted prey for many predators, though its "slowness" compared to raptors, snakes, and other predators such as the polecat also plays a role.
The Griffon Vulture I
E30
The Griffon Vulture IA carrion bird of steppe and mountain, the griffon vulture saw its ecological opportunities increase on the Iberian Peninsula as historical deforestation created bare spaces suitable for the prospecting flight of this winged scavenger.
The Griffon Vulture II
E31
The Griffon Vulture IISecond part on the existence of the griffon vulture as a carrion bird.
The Bee-eater I
E32
The Bee-eater IBirds of African origin, bee-eaters spend part of the spring and summer in Spain. Sporting a beautiful multicolored plumage, these birds feed primarily on insects captured in mid-flight.
The Bee-eater II
E33
The Bee-eater IIThe secrets of the bee-eater's life, from the courtship display to the ritualized fights the chicks engage in to maintain the hierarchical order within their nests, including the threat of their great enemy: the hobby.
The Wolf
E34
The WolfAn episode explaining the wolf's relationship with humans from its origins.
Zoological Olympics I
E35
Zoological Olympics IIberian wildlife boasts several champions in different sporting disciplines; in this episode, Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente measures the speed of the fox, the Iberian wolf, and the peregrine falcon, among others.
Zoological Olympics II
E36
Zoological Olympics IINature has its own ranking of athletes, and in this episode Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente studies the abilities of each one.
Migratory Birds
E37
Migratory BirdsSpain is a stopover and nesting site for several migratory species. In autumn, shortly after the storks and herons leave us, geese, cranes, and wild ducks arrive on our lands.
The Woodpeckers I
E38
The Woodpeckers IThese birds, belonging to the order Piciformes, build their nests by drilling into wood. Among woodpeckers, some are practically omnivorous, such as the great spotted woodpecker. Others, like the green woodpecker, feed on wood-boring larvae and ants, using their extremely long protractile tongue.
The Woodpeckers II
E39
The Woodpeckers IIIn this episode, we observe that woodpecker chicks develop quickly.
The Woodpeckers III
E40
The Woodpeckers IIIWoodpeckers are insectivores and contribute to the health of the forests where they nest.
The Wild Boar I
E41
The Wild Boar IAmong the large mammals of our wildlife, wild boars are without a doubt the most abundant and thriving. The high number of offspring that sows successfully raise, along with their omnivorous diet, help maintain such high population levels.
The Wild Boar II
E42
The Wild Boar IIThe natural predators of wild boars are lynxes, eagles, and wolves, although a large number of animals are also killed during driven hunts.
The Wise Vulture
E43
The Wise VultureIn this episode, we will learn firsthand how the Egyptian vulture is capable of using tools to perform tasks essential to its survival, specifically stone pebbles that it picks up from the ground with its beak and uses as instruments to break ostrich eggs.
The Beautiful Killer
E44
The Beautiful KillerThe genet is a predatory mammal of nocturnal habits that lives throughout Africa, the Iberian Peninsula, and southwestern France.
The Hunting Game I
E45
The Hunting Game IAmong the most aggressive carnivores are undoubtedly the mustelids. In a small burrow, a polecat fights to the death with an enormous rat.
The Hunting Game II
E46
The Hunting Game IIAs soon as the young polecats finish nursing, their parents carry the animals they capture into the burrow to feed their offspring.
The Family Clan
E47
The Family ClanToday's episode shows us how a wolf pack lives from the birth of the pups until they leave the den. The wolf cubs grow rapidly and change color, from completely black to more brownish tones. Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente shows us how these tender pups prepare for their lives as great hunters. There is great tension between two of the greatest hunters of our wildlife, the golden eagle and the wolf, and this forms the plot of this episode dedicated to the family clan of the Iberian wolf.
Innocent Killers
E48
Innocent KillersIn this episode we can see that the Mediterranean forest is home to abundant small herbivores, such as mice, garden dormice, squirrels, and rabbits. Their populations are kept in check by small and medium-sized predators, extremely useful ones, such as weasels, ferrets, genets, and foxes.
The Cormorant
E49
The CormorantWhile the crew sails through the waters of the Cabrera sub-archipelago, they discover a small cormorant chick that has fallen into the sea and seems doomed to die.
Nocturnal Raptors I
E50
Nocturnal Raptors IIn this episode we can see Félix and his crew, including biologist Carlos Sanz, capturing different owls and nocturnal raptors to implant a technological tracking system hidden in their plumage in order to observe their habits and behaviors.
Nocturnal Raptors II
E51
Nocturnal Raptors IIIn this episode we can see Félix and his crew, including biologist Carlos Sanz, capturing different owls and nocturnal raptors to implant a technological tracking system hidden in their plumage in order to observe their habits and behaviors. We can also see these raptors in full action, and the footage shows us the attributes that make them efficient hunters of the dark: mimetic plumage, silent flight, razor-sharp talons, and prodigious eyes.
The Corvids I
E52
The Corvids ICorvids, like all omnivores, are extraordinarily intelligent. Their courtship behavior, nest building, social conduct, and hunting techniques are highly elaborate.
The Corvids II
E53
The Corvids IICorvids, like all omnivores, are extraordinarily intelligent. Their courtship behavior, nest building, social conduct, and hunting techniques are extraordinarily elaborate.
Operation Fox I
E54
Operation Fox IAnother animal in danger of extinction, the Iberian fox. In this episode we can observe its life and habits.
Operation Fox II
E55
Operation Fox IIThe foxes captured unharmed by eagles are released equipped with electronic transmitters that allow their movements to be tracked from up to eight kilometers away. Thanks to this tracking system, we reconstruct the life of the Iberian fox.
Cabrera, Island Paradise I
E56
Cabrera, Island Paradise IThe Cabrera sub-archipelago, located in the Balearic archipelago, is made up of a group of islands and islets that are home to a multitude of bird species of extraordinary scientific importance.
Cabrera, Island Paradise II
E57
Cabrera, Island Paradise IIThe Cabrera sub-archipelago, in the Balearic Islands, is made up of a group of islands and islets that are home to a multitude of ornithological species of extraordinary importance.
The Imperial Eagle I
E58
The Imperial Eagle ICourtship displays, nest building, incubation; the early life of the eaglets and departure from the nest in the three most important strongholds of the species, located in the Central Range, Extremadura, and Coto de Doñana.
The Imperial Eagle II
E59
The Imperial Eagle IIOne of the most beautiful and scarce raptors in the world is the imperial eagle, which has its last refuge on the Iberian Peninsula. According to the latest census conducted by the Ministry of the Environment, there are an estimated 250 pairs of these raptors on the Iberian Peninsula, mostly inhabiting its southwestern quadrant.
The Social Hunter
E60
The Social HunterThe wolf is a predator that lives and operates within perfectly hierarchical groups. Four years of studying and filming a wolf pack allow us to observe the most delicate patterns of social behavior.
The Conquest of Water I
E61
The Conquest of Water IIn mountain rivers, crystal-clear and pure rapids, larvae of certain insects such as dragonflies, caddisflies, diving beetles, mayflies, and other species that spend a phase of their life in the water abound, to hunt and feed at the expense of these invertebrates.
The Conquest of Water II
E62
The Conquest of Water IIThe white-throated dipper is capable of diving in churning, fast-flowing waters to capture the larvae and adult insects on which it feeds. The Pyrenean desman, an insectivore related to moles, can remain underwater for over a minute.
Doñana National Park I
E63
Doñana National Park IAfter the dry season, the Guadalquivir marshland restarts its biological cycle with the first autumn rains. Two natural events take place: the bellowing of the deer and the arrival of the greylag geese.
Doñana National Park II
E64
Doñana National Park IIWe can see how the Guadalquivir marshlands begin their biological cycle with the first autumn rains. Throughout the year, European and African migratory species find refuge here: ducks, geese, herons, little egrets, spoonbills, avocets, gull-billed terns... they nest and breed in these marshlands. Here too the imperial eagle breeds in April, and in summer the fallow deer's mating displays take place.
Doñana National Park III
E65
Doñana National Park IIIThe Guadalquivir marshland, like all estuaries and wetlands in warm climates, reaches very high levels of nutrient production for the millions of African birds that choose Doñana to nest.
Doñana National Park IV
E66
Doñana National Park IVDuring the second half of July, the dried-out beds of the marshland begin to crack. The most striking event in the Doñana reserve is the rutting of the fallow deer, which in a way heralds the arrival of the autumn rains.
The Little Winged Hunters I (The Hobby)
E67
The Little Winged Hunters I (The Hobby)The hobby is a small migratory falcon that nests in Europe and winters in Africa and Madagascar. It is so fast and resilient in flight that it can catch swifts and swallows.
The Little Winged Hunters II (The Kestrel)
E68
The Little Winged Hunters II (The Kestrel)A study of the kestrel's behavior, its nesting process, rearing and emancipation of the chicks, and its prodigious hunting techniques.
The Little Winged Hunters III (The Sparrowhawk)
E69
The Little Winged Hunters III (The Sparrowhawk)The sparrowhawk is one of the most common little winged hunters in forested areas: its nesting process, rearing of the chicks, hunting, and emancipation of the young make up this episode.
The Steppe Birds I
E70
The Steppe Birds IThe Castilian steppe was created by man, just like the vast bare plains of Extremadura, Aragon, and lower Andalusia. Originally, these wide plains were covered by holm oak, cork oak, and oak forests.
The Steppe Birds II
E71
The Steppe Birds IIIn April, the mating display of the great bustards takes place. The bearded old males, weighing up to 17 kilograms, acquire striking tones in their plumage and display large, bristly beards.
The Steppe Birds III
E72
The Steppe Birds IIIThe rearing of great bustard chicks from hatching to emancipation had never been filmed in the wild. These enormous birds are tiny and helpless at the start of life. Feeding mainly on insects, they grow rapidly.
The Last Lynx
E73
The Last LynxA huge, old lynx roams a Spanish mountain range, trying to capture some prey, but his attacks on rabbits, partridges, and carrion crows all fail. The old lynx recalls the different hunting techniques that brought him success in his youth, as evening falls.
The Rodents I
E74
The Rodents IThe most adaptable of mammals, after man, are the rodents: rats, mice, voles, dormice... they proliferate in fields and cities, and can be useful or extraordinarily harmful. Rodents are small mammals endowed with great intelligence and adaptability. This episode is dedicated to squirrels.
Rescued from Extermination
E75
Rescued from ExterminationAccording to data provided by paleontologists, the fallow deer and the mouflon disappeared from the European continent with the last ice age. The mouflon found refuge on the island of Corsica, the fallow deer in Asia Minor. It was climatic conditions that were the enemies of both species.
The Rodents II
E76
The Rodents IIFor the study of rodents, they have been divided into two parts: common or urban rodents such as the rat, and wild ones such as the garden dormouse, voles, field mice, fat dormice, etc.
The Red-Legged Partridge
E77
The Red-Legged PartridgeThe common or red-legged partridge, the favorite quarry of millions of hunters, is a bird of singular beauty, strength, and bravery.
Iberian Nocturnal Raptors
E78
Iberian Nocturnal RaptorsFilmed in full action thanks to electronic equipment, the nocturnal raptors show us their attributes as efficient hunters of the darkness. The long-eared owl, the barn owl, the tawny owl, and the little owl are several of the nocturnal raptor species that soar through our skies.
The Sierras of Cazorla and Segura I
E79
The Sierras of Cazorla and Segura IIn the middle of March, snow covers the sierras of Cazorla and Segura. The golden eagle performs its mating displays in the pristine sky. The otter seeks a den for her own litter; fallow deer, mouflon, and red deer bring their young into the world.
The Sierras of Cazorla and Segura II
E80
The Sierras of Cazorla and Segura IIIn early June, the great herd of wild goats ascends through the black pine forest in search of fresh pastures. The pair of bearded vultures feeds the single chick in their nest. The cascade of griffon vultures descends upon a fallow deer carcass.
On the Brink of Extinction I
E81
On the Brink of Extinction IIn some of our mountains, animals on the brink of extinction survive, specifically the bearded vulture, the brown bear, and the capercaillie, which find their refuges on the peaks of the Pyrenees and in the Pyrenean mountain forests.
On the Brink of Extinction II
E82
On the Brink of Extinction IIIn some of our mountains, animals on the brink of extinction survive, specifically the bearded vulture, the brown bear, and the capercaillie, which find their refuges on the peaks of the Pyrenees and in the Pyrenean mountain forests.
On the Brink of Extinction III
E83
On the Brink of Extinction IIIIn some of our mountains, animals on the brink of extinction survive, specifically the bearded vulture, the brown bear, and the capercaillie, which find their refuges on the peaks of the Pyrenees and in the Pyrenean mountain forests.
Prisoners of the Forest I
E84
Prisoners of the Forest IThe immense forest that covered the Iberian Peninsula in still-historical times has been destroyed to the point of turning Spain into a steppe nation. In the last remaining woodlands, disconnected from one another, animals that cannot abandon these forest refuges survive. Capercaillies, bears, goshawks, deer, dormice, and many other forest species are meticulously described in harmony with their habitat.
Prisoners of the Forest II
E85
Prisoners of the Forest IIA new chapter begins in the mountains of the Iberian Peninsula: the bellowing season.
Man and the Wolf
E86
Man and the WolfThis episode summarizes the daily life at the filming camps of the Man and the Earth crew, always immersed in the heart of nature, and the coexistence between man and wolf.
Iberian Diurnal Raptors
E87
Iberian Diurnal RaptorsSpain is the richest nation in Europe for birds of prey: black vultures, griffon vultures, Egyptian vultures, bearded vultures, several species of eagles, common buzzards, harriers, falcons, goshawks and sparrowhawks, hobbies and kestrels, distributed across the different natural regions of Iberia.
The Kingfisher
E88
The KingfisherThe sub-archipelago of Cabrera, located in the Balearic archipelago, is made up of a group of islands and islets that are home to a multitude of bird species of extraordinary scientific importance.
The Flamingos
E89
The FlamingosThe shallow, saline waters of the Fuente de Piedra lagoon welcome a large number of flamingos year after year, the last refuge on the Iberian Peninsula for this rare bird, which is currently protected by law.
The Living River I
E90
The Living River IOver the course of two episodes, we follow the course of a mountain river. On its uninterrupted journey, the waterways become a mirror in which animals linked to the currents appear.
The Living River II
E91
The Living River IISecond part dedicated to following the course of a mountain river, where a number of animals linked to the currents appear.