A herd of 10 Przewalski’s horses – the last truly wild horse – has been released in the Iberian Highlands rewilding landscape in Spain. Having arrived in May, the animals will soon roam free across an extensive area, where they will help to reduce the risk of wildfire, enhance biodiversity, boost nature-based tourism and environmental education, and improve the conservation status of this endangered subspecies.

With significant experience in African conservation, Rewilding Spain team leader Pablo Schapira is the ideal person to take rewilding forwards in the Iberian Highlands.

Wild nature has the potential to provide valuable jobs and income for people in and around the Iberian Highlands rewilding landscape. In 2023, Rewilding Spain will take steps to enhance nature-based tourism in the area.

In the Iberian Highlands rewilding landscape in Spain, the local rewilding team are working to reintroduce wild and semi-wild herbivores. By enhancing natural grazing, this is increasing biodiversity, reducing wildfire risk, and helping to regenerate natural forest.

Officially launched today in the spectacular surroundings of the medieval Spanish city of Cuenca, the Iberian Highlands Rewilding Landscape marks a major milestone for Rewilding Europe, adding a further 850,000 hectares of land to help upscale rewilding efforts across Europe.

A new grant from the Cartier for Nature foundation will support rewilding in both the Southern Carpathians and Iberian Highlands, with a primary focus on the reintroduction of free-roaming herbivores.