From the Alps to Tuscany

Winter in north Italy: ice and snow rule over the Dolomites for months on end – only specialists can live up here in the high mountains: like the Ibex, for example. Hardly any other animal can climb so efficiently and scale the steepest slopes so elegantly. Even Ibex, however, descend to lower regions when the ice and snow are lying – the risk of falling is simply too high in winter. When an animal does succumb to the conditions, the Golden Eagle takes advantage. The ‘King of the Skies' becomes a scavenger in winter, when he can't catch prey himself - and he has to share, whether he likes it or not, as ravens and crows are quick to the scene of death. As soon as spring arrives, huge amounts of melt water plummet down from the Dolomites into the valley, feeding streams and rivers across north Italy – including the Po. At the Adriatic coast, Italy's longest river joins the Mediterranean and forms a vast delta. In the 1980's, salt-works were in operation here today however the area is a paradise for birds. The protected delta magically attracts rare water birds like the Purple Heron, and even Greater Flamingos. South of the Italian Alps sprawls one of the most recognizable cultural landscapes on earth: Tuscany. A mild climate, olive groves, vineyards and small woods shape this region – and whoever looks a little closer can also discover Tuscany's wild side. At the top of an old oak tree, two Stag Beetles clash for the favours of a lady and on a blooming meadow, a tortoise munches on some fresh flowers - totally at peace.