Wildlife's Rebirth - A True Natural Treasure Free Documentary Nature

It is still possible to find in its bowels traces of what gave rise to La Hayona. These remains reflect the work of hundreds of men, women and children who toiled with dynamite, pickaxes and shovels to laboriously prise out the iron ore which it hoarded in its rocky heart. The exploitation of this mine in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula began in the late 19th century. It saw its most intense activity during the First World War when the demand for iron increased enormously. However, when peacetime came, it experienced a swift decline which led to its definitive closure in 1921. Silence then prevailed in this gigantic ravine of 80 hectares which is barely one kilometer long and up to 100 meters deep. In a few short years, the hand of man had brought this space back to the primitive state of the planet Earth thousands of millions of years ago when it was no more than a shapeless mixture of bare rocks wandering through the universe. But something began to change at La Hayona. Here too, in this place lost to the world where rock and semi-darkness reign there are signs that the winter is beating a retreat. Wrapped in their wings, the bats have spent the coldest months hibernating in this hideout awaiting a spring which some of them will not see. The excitement of the life which is being reborn outside appears to slip through to this remote place electrifying the colony and encouraging it to finally abandon the security of a refuge which is also a true natural treasure. The disconcerting secret which is La Hayona is concealed among the olive groves, holm oaks and other vegetation characteristic of Mediterranean woodland which covers the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula. It began as a brutal wound caused by human beings which nature had been stanching until it became an Eden overflowing with animal and plant life. This extraordinary process of rebirth has converted this abandoned mine into a unique ecosystem. What seemed to be doomed to being a sterile underground desert has become an explosion of life. The murmur of the wind and the rain caressing the bare walls of this desolate wound has replaced the din made by the miners. They were the advanced party of an amazing transformation which still continues. To some extent, La Hayona is a tiny planet within the planet which experienced a similar process hundreds of millions of years ago. The fruit of chance and the laws of physics and chemistry, the emergence of life. And as was the case on Earth, here also mosses, lichens and later ferns were the pioneers of this colonization. For this to occur, the environment benefited from the conditions created by the unusual configuration of the mine which gave rise to a climate of its own with high humidity, mild and stable temperatures and limited exposure to sunlight. This hackberry should not be here. But the special environmental conditions of this site make it an oasis for this relative of the elm. The remains which stain its base belong to another peculiar inhabitant of La Hayona. The tawny owl is a shy bird of prey which is very hard to see as it is nocturnal. But now in the middle of the breeding season, the mother bird must extend her working day. It seems that this effort will have its reward. The young tawny owl, which already ventures outside the nest, is waiting for its breakfast while it pays attention to another master class on hunting. Managing failure is part of learning and patience is the best virtue of any great hunter. The owlet will need to change its strategy. For example, it must get nearer the so far fortunate mouse. Her perseverance and her silent flight have finally given the mother tawny owl the reward of a good meal for her chick. Despite the constant pressure exerted by their predators, mice find a very favorable habitat at La Hayona with abundant food and many nooks and crannies in which to make their burrows where they store food and give birth to their litters. It is the breeding season for mice which means a hectic nomadic life for the males. They are polygamous and cover considerable distances in search of the largest possible number of females with which to mate. Once he has achieved his objective, the male will leave in search of further opportunities. Meanwhile, the female prepares for motherhood. With loving care, the mother cleans and settles each new arrival into the world of La Hayona in the burrow which she has covered with grass and dry leaves. No doubt she has plenty of experience at this. A female mouse may raise as many as seven litters in a single year. As occurred on Earth, the new world of La Hayona stopped being only green when it was flooded with color with the arrival of flowers. The orchids which grow here are outstanding in both their variety and their abundance which is exceptional in these latitudes. They are accompanied by a multitude of other flowers which offer themselves to all kinds of insects to be pollinated in exchange for food. Each one of these tiny beings symbolizes the vital energy which has made possible the hidden miracle of La Hayona. The perpetuation of life is also stirring within this little owl. It is its mating season as can be appreciated from the constant calling to each other of male and female. Over time, they approach each other in a more and more excited manner until the loving encounter finally occurs. They culminate it without paying any attention to the other inhabitants of the mine. What now concerns this male blue rock thrush is the rearing of his chicks. He shares this task with the female. For this shy rock-dwelling bird which is hard to observe La Hayona provides plenty of its favorite foods from insects to fruit and excellent nesting sites. The male, which is recognizable by his deep blue plumage does not leave after feeding the young. He must carry out another essential task if his brood is to remain healthy. When he removes the fecal sac produced by the chicks he not only avoids sanitary problems in the nest but also ensures that possible predators are not attracted by its smell. Another inhabitant of La Hayona is also out hunting. There is no doubt that it is well equipped to do so. Through the hairs on its legs the wolf spider perceives vibrations caused by possible prey. It also has eight eyes which it can direct in different directions. It is also one of the largest spiders in Europe. This means that a grasshopper which comes across it must take great care. It had no chance. Now the spider only has to wait to gradually absorb the juices of its victim. Outside the old mine all is different. A Mediterranean climate of harsh dry summers prevails in an infinite landscape of olive groves and pasture lands which is the haunt of hoopoes. The hollows at the base of an ancient olive tree are a great place for rearing their family. Hoopoes tend to be faithful to their mates and nesting sites. Once she has chosen the spot the female only cleans it conscientiously before laying her eggs and incubating them. But hoopoes have catholic tastes when it comes to nesting sites. They also like to nest in open clefts on slopes such as these. It is also not unusual for them to use cracks in buildings walls or ruins. Their long fine bill is a highly efficient tool for searching in the grass and penetrating cracks in the ground which are hiding places for insects larvae, earthworms and small reptiles which are their favorite food. The pair of blue rock thrushes which is breeding at La Hayona does not have a minute's rest. Their nests are as hard to see as the birds themselves. They seek places as hidden and inaccessible as possible for building a framework of roots and dried grass where the female normally lays between two and five eggs. Fed constantly by their parents the young rock thrushes will be ready to leave the nest barely two weeks after the eggs have hatched. When the kingdom of the shadows of the night comes over La Hayona is when its nocturnal hunters stir abroad. Its undisputed king is the eagle owl. The most formidable of European nocturnal birds of prey. Its mournful hooting tears through the darkness which envelops the mine. All its inhabitants know what this means. The super predator is out hunting. No one can feel safe not even other hunters. The sound is only comforting for the young eagle owls. It means that one of their parents will not take long to bring them food. Eagle owls are undemanding as to where they bring their descendants into the world although finding the spot is not easy. This is because the night of La Hayona holds many dangers for these eagle owl chicks. The stone marten is patrolling its territory. This solitary nocturnal carnivore establishes a precise territory where it seeks its food which it defends from others of its species. For example, it finds the body of a small bird which may have fallen out of its nest. Although the stone marten is not a finicky eater well-fed chicks would be a true delicacy for it. Fortunately for the owlets it has not discovered their hiding place at least not tonight. In the galleries of the abandoned mine it is now the worker ants which work unceasingly to take food to their ant hill. Their activity has alerted a terrible predator for them the ant lion. Despite its name, it is not a species of ant. It is a neuropteran which feeds on ants themselves. In order to catch them it becomes a miner up to a point. It starts work by dragging itself along the ground using its abdomen as a plow to draw a circle. This constitutes a trap for hunting ants. When it has finished it buries itself in the center of the trap. Now it only has to wait. The slope of the cone and the loose grains of sand give the ant no escape. In addition, the ant lion sprays it with sand from the bottom of the trap while undermining the sides of the cone. All this causes a collapse which drags the prey down. When the victim is at the mercy of its jaws the ant lion injects toxins into it to paralyze it. The ant is doomed. Water, the great maker and mainstay of this hidden paradise creates here and there small pools in the deepest areas of the mine where various species of amphibians such as the common salamander thrive. This animal is not fast-moving and has no body armor to protect it from predators. It only has striking yellow patches which constitute a visual warning code. Do not eat. Nasty taste. The anxious breathing and erect posture of this male common salamander show that he is in season. Salamanders live their lives on dry land but they are born in the water which is where the female gives birth to larvae which are already formed. So being the master of this place makes the male irresistibly attractive. But if he wishes to maintain his position he will have to fight as another male is also looking for a mate. The fight was short but intense before the weaker male acknowledged his inferiority and abandoned the battlefield to leave the winner proudly boasting of his exploits. The deepest bowels of the earth also provide a splendid lair where these inoffensive winged mammals live. Bats have a poor reputation which is quite unjust as they are highly beneficial as predators of insects and other invertebrates. Various species often share the same space and even intermingle. La Hayona holds eight different species of bat including the Lhasa and Mehelis horseshoe bats and the grey long-eared bat. The females form large breeding colonies from which the males are excluded. During their first weeks of life the young bats do not leave their mothers even when the latter fly out of the cave to seek food. Bats are just one example of the rich biodiversity which has arisen from the abandoned ruins of the mine. Another of its inhabitants can be heard long before it is seen. The cooing of the rock pigeons bounces off the walls of the galleries where they nest and inundates everything. As they are the wild ancestors of domestic pigeons they frequently hybridize with the latter and this sometimes makes it hard to distinguish the two. But what is clear is that those which have chosen La Hayona as a nesting site want no slavery. Whether they have been born in the wild or are feral birds which have escaped from life alongside humans they have chosen their freedom. The largest European species of newt thrives in the wettest areas of this habitat. The Iberian ribbed newt spends its time between land and water and in common with its relative the common salamander has few means of defence. The coloured patches on its sides coincide with the edge of its ribs. If it feels threatened the Iberian ribbed newt makes them stand out and at the same time secretes a toxic substance which irritates the mucous membranes of the mouth of any unwary animal which tries to eat it. Its best defence however is always to seek the security of the bottom of a pool. The eagle owl's night of hunting has ended with the first light of day. Until darkness returns it will spend its time continuously guarding its nest. It cannot relax because another outstanding hunter is also in the vicinity. The genet approaches along the branches of a fig tree. Fortunately for the owlets it is not their scent which seems to be attracting it. Although it is essentially carnivorous tonight it prefers a vegetarian diet of succulent figs which are moreover much easier to capture. Or perhaps not. The genet and the fig tree which is now offering it the fruit which is proving so hard to obtain share a common history. Both their ancestors reached the Iberian peninsula owing to human intervention. While the genet was brought from North Africa the fig tree appears to have originated in the Eastern Mediterranean and South West Asia where it was one of the first plants to be cultivated by man. Now two of their descendants are here following the trail of their ancestors and have colonized this new hidden world of La Rayona. The genet's favorite food is plentiful in the vicinity. But for the moment mice and owlets can feel safe. At least as long as there are slippery figs to be pursued. In this unusual place the unthinkable is hidden. It has become a secret natural treasure which is the home of creatures that seem to have come out of a fairy tale. Such as the caterpillar of the swallowtail butterfly. This caterpillar is in its second growth stage which marks the end of its development. Now is when it adopts this psychedelic coloration to dissuade possible attackers. If even so it is disturbed it has fleshy structures on its head which it raises to release chemical substances capable of frightening away ants, flies or wasps. Unfortunately for the caterpillar these emissions are insufficient to keep away the birds which are its main predators. For the moment this caterpillar can continue to enjoy a banquet of fennel. One of its favorite foods. It has to feed itself well because a vital event in its life will soon take place. Something is happening outside the mice's home as mother mouse is looking out in alarm. But there is no danger. A group of harmless snails is just passing by. The constantly high humidity of La Jona is greatly to the liking of these hermaphrodite mollusks. They all produce both spermatozoids and ovules but must mate with a partner as they cannot fertilize themselves. They move forward by contracting and elongating their whole bodies with the help of mucus which both avoids friction and is useful for overcoming slopes. But it also helps them in many other ways. It contributes towards regulating their temperature, protects them from injuries, bacteria and fungus, repels dangerous insects and also helps them to eliminate heavy metals from their organisms. Now thanks to the mucus they can finally reach that delicious lupine plant. The margins which delimit the abyss of La Jona constitute a border between two opposing worlds. If down below humidity, semi-darkness and coolness prevail, here above nothing protects the plants and animals from the punishing sun. The flowers of the thistles have dried out and a flock of green finches swoop down on them in search of seeds. Now they are ready for the wind to disperse them, clinging to the pappus which the birds must eliminate with their powerful bills before eating the seeds. The thistle field has plenty of food for all, but is not without its dangers. The green finches have entered the territory of a little owl which does not take its eyes off them. Perhaps it is annoyed by so many inconvenient visitors or perhaps it is awaiting an opportunity to add a plump green finch to the diet of the chicks back at the nest. The owlets are so voracious that their parents which are habitually nocturnal predators usually continue to hunt even in the middle of the day. But today the young little owls will not have green finch for breakfast. During the period of about five weeks which must pass before the owlets are able to fly and fend for themselves they depend completely on what their parents manage to capture to feed them. They are generally brought a rich and varied diet. In addition to field mice, they also devour small birds and reptiles, insects and even amphibians. Only the appearance of a possible threat diverts the busy parents from their task. The arrival of a black kite makes all the tenants of the crags alert. Although it is above all a carrion feeder, it is also a bold hunter from which almost nothing is safe. Prudence dictates that the best course of action is to hide from its eyes inside the nests. But it is a very hot day and thirst is strong enough to overcome fear. A new player enters the stage where we have a life or death situation. This booted eagle has also set its sights on the reckless and thirsty rock pigeon. The shadow of the frustrated black kite doesn't worry it too much. Both birds know who has won this match and how short-sighted it would be to try to snatch the trophy from the eagle. When the booted eagle has finished its meal and leaves, the inhabitants of the crags breathe a sigh of relief, at least as far as the threat of a predator is concerned, because arguments between neighbors are as frequent as they are annoying. The pair of little owls sees with growing irritation how their neighbors do not hesitate to occupy their favorite perches with shameful impudence. It is clear that their more and more frequent warnings are not being heeded. They will have to take stronger measures. Far from the bustle and the disputes of the pasture land which surrounds the mine of La Jona, in a recondite spot in the foliage, one of its inhabitants prepares for a vital change in its existence. The semi-transparent substance which the caterpillar of the swallowtail butterfly is secreting indicates that it is initiating its final metamorphosis. It slowly fastens itself to the chosen branch by making a belt with which it strengthens its upper part. With the same aim, it has also woven a silken network on the lower part of its body. Once it is firmly fastened, it takes one or two days to undergo its final change. It frees itself of its colorful costume to transform itself from a caterpillar into a chrysalis. Within, a marvel of evolution is beginning to take place. An animal which a few short days ago was an incredibly well adapted machine for devouring food has got rid of its body to reconstruct it as a totally different and fascinating organism. It only remains for the haemolymph, the transparent blood of invertebrates, to swell and fill out its wings. It has before it a few frenzied weeks in which the swallowtail butterfly will fly to find a mate in order to breed before it dies. In the hoopoe's nest at the foot of the old olive tree, the birds are also facing a growth crisis. To be precise, it is the elder of the chicks who is in this situation. The parents consider that the time has come for it to finally abandon the nest. As the chick does not seem to agree with them at all, the adults tempt it by pretending to feed it so as to draw it from its comfortable hideout. While the decision is being made, the parents continue to feed its brother, which must be very frustrating for the hungry young bird. It cannot understand so much insistence on its leaving if there is nothing it can eat there, not to mention the dangers which may be lying in wait for it. No, it is better to return to the safety of the nest. And perhaps if it occupies its brother's place, it can deceive their parents. The attempt is in vain. The parental decision is very firm. The young bird understands that there is nothing for it but to undertake the first flight of its life. The younger bird will still enjoy a few extra days of its carefree existence before following in the footsteps of its elder brother. At the top of one of the many fig trees which grow in the heart of La Hayona, a pair of European goldfinches is raising a new brood. The favorable conditions of the old mine allow them to breed two or even three times in the same season. The site appears to be excellent. It is inaccessible to predators and protected by the surroundings from adverse weather, in particular the terrible summer sun. Or this has been the case up to now. The vicinity of the abandoned mine is dominated by the scorching summer and its long harsh days of sun and drought. The booted eagle has just eaten and is having a rest from its day of hunting to regain its strength in a shady area which protects it a little from the fiery sun above the Mediterranean woodland where its territory lies. Its mate is taking advantage of the only pool that must remain for many meters around to take a refreshing bath. The power of the sun king is at its height and it is even capable of reaching those who had thought up to now that they were safe from its rays. The goldfinches go out of their way to protect their chicks as best they can, taking turns to shade them with their wings while they withstand the fire which falls from the sky until they can bear it no longer. Tragedy strikes the goldfinch family without mercy. Such is daily life at La Jona, with the dramas and hopes involved in a place bursting with wildlife, a truly wonderful spot. Because this site was doomed to be a sterile mass of rocks and abandoned rubble after the end of its exploitation as an iron mine. It has, however, ended up being a victory of nature. This environmental space of enormous botanical and zoological interest deserves to be considered one of the natural treasures of Europe. Its biography of a buried new world is a peculiar one on a unique space written by human beings and nature. A treasure full of vital energy in the bowels of the earth.