Episode Information

Once upon a time, huge beasts roamed Europe. But these magnificent creatures were driven out by humans, victims of our need to over-hunt and our desire for more space. We are only now starting to realise how poor our landscapes are without them. Mercifully, this realisation has started to fuel an exciting change of fortunes for Europe’s wildlife. From bison to wolves, bears to vultures, giants are reclaiming their ancient territories. Some are benefiting from conservation efforts; the creation of new protected habitats has allowed many giants to be re-introduced to old ranges, whilst stricter laws around human atrocities like poaching has helped other species to regain healthy population levels. Not only is wild Europe suddenly more exciting, but these huge beasts are working to make the world a better place for us too.