12 Most Unique National Parks In Europe

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Looking purely at the ecological make-up of Europe, it appears significantly less diverse than other continents. So I set out to find the most interesting and unique elements of my homeland to see if Europe is indeed tedious or one of the most diverse continents on earth.
00:00 Introduction
01:33 Triglav, Slovenia
02:48 Prielbrusye, Russia
04:06 Thingvellir, Iceland
05:41 Abruzzo, Italy
07:36 Askania-Nova & Oleshky Sands, Ukraine
09:06 Białowieża, Poland/Belarus
11:33 Oulanka, Finland
13:07 Jostedalsbreen, Norway
14:24 Cairngorms, U.K.
16:03 Veluwezoom & De Hoge Veluwe, Netherlands
17:19 Doñana, Spain
18:34 Zakynthos, Greece
More rabbit holes to dive into!
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Media & Attribution
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Music
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Sources & Further Reading
Listed below are the sources used to create the video.
Pronunciation (SO glad this website exists!)
forvo.com/
Encyclopaedia Britannica
britannica.com/
UNESCO
whc.unesco.org/en/list/
Animal Diversity
animaldiversity.org/
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org/
Slovenia & Triglav
www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/blog/...
www.tnp.si/en/learn/
www.slovenia.info/en/places-t...
Russia & Prielbrusye
www.wild-russia.org/bioregion...
Iceland and Thingvellir
education.nationalgeographic....
www.universetoday.com/131459/...
guidetoiceland.is/connect-wit...
icelandmag.is/article/local-a...
Italy, Abruzzo & Pollination
www.parcoabruzzo.it/
theconversation.com/italy-has...
www.bearconservation.org.uk/ma...
www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics...
www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pla...
Ukraine, Carpathians, Askania-Nova & Biosphere Reserve
• Biosphere reserves in ...
en.unesco.org/biosphere/eu-na...
slate.com/news-and-politics/2...
earthobservatory.nasa.gov/ima...
wownature.in.ua/en/parks-and-...
Poland and Białowieża
bpn.com.pl/index.php?Itemid=1...
Finland and Oulanka
www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary...
www.largecarnivores.fi/specie...
wolf.org/wow/europe/finland/
european-wilderness.network/l...
Norway & Jostedalsbreen
www.scandinaviastandard.com/a...
www.visitnorway.com/listings/...
Scotland and Cairngorms
cairngorms.co.uk/
www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/
Netherlands, Veluwezoom & De Hoge Veluwe
www.hogeveluwe.nl/
www.visitarnhem.com/veluwezoo...
www.visitveluwe.com/
Spain & Doñana
rsis.ramsar.org/ris/234
www.spain.info/en/discover-sp...
nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/ne...
www.nationalgeographic.com/an...
www.spain.info/en/nature/dona...
Greece & Zakynthos
www.zanteisland.com/en/marine...
www.nmp-zak.org/en
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[@Textbooktravel]

This is the last you will hear from me about Europe being boring, I promise! Case closed! I can’t thank Squarespace enough for sponsoring this video, we’ll be exploring their ecosystem over the next few videos. If you’d like to check out the website from this video, here’s the link. Have a great weekend :) natureisnifty.com/

[@elmsigreen]

I LOVE that you tried to pronounce all those places here in. Obviously not perfect, icelandic is a very very difficult language but I LOVE that you didn't shy away or just give up

[@jefemiller]

Askania-Nova is such an interesting idea for a park. Chevowski's horses are gorgeus.

[@Textbooktravel]

Totally! I hope to be able to cover them again in either the Asian National Parks video or a video on equids! I found a set of really nice photos of them in Mongolia

[@jefemiller]

@@Textbooktravel An equid video would be awesome.

[@timmyzwerg]

Respect for your pronounciation of the Icelandic names, you did your research well.

[@vernonfridy8416]

Correction: the major biome in Southern Europe is not temperate forest, but Mediterranean scrublands and woodlands.

[@Textbooktravel]

Yes, that's true! Thanks for the feedback. The biome map I use in these videos is based off NASA's categorization, which only has 7 biomes. I will try and upgrade to the WWF categorization at some point, which I think has 14... actually, that would make a great video!! Thanks again

[@user-yy4ux9zf4r]

Another great video. Your pronunciation of these names is insane, you are either fluent in many languages or you have spent hours and hours practicing. It certainly a gift either way.

[@carstengrooten3686]

I was impressed by some, but the Dutch one was off by a lot

[@anikaflauschi4459]

This is a lovely and amazing, but at the same time really informative video. im also impressed by your pronounciation of the names

[@barryohagan9278]

This and animal logic are the good animal KZbin channels

[@arta.xshaca]

Could be better if an animal ytube channel made a vid about the Origin of Animals!

[@barryohagan9278]

You have pbs eons also a very good KZbin they show you the ancient version of our modern day animals

[@Textbooktravel]

Wow! That is quite the compliment! Hopefully I will get to their level one day!! Thanks for watching and commenting :)

[@hugong8518]

One of my favourite videos so far!

[@TheDeadmanTT]

Much like doggos, all parks are beautiful!

[@alejandroojeda1572]

I would add a few parks if you will. Spain: Cabo de Gata (one of the few deserts in Europe and teeming with endemysms) Sierra nevada (one of the few crioromediterranean climates, the most endemic rich region in Europe regarding vascular plants) Portugal: Madeira's Laurel forests (the best conserved laurel forests in the world) Romania: Danube delta (the biggest delta in Europe, perhaps Europe's most biodiverse region) Something along the carpathians (ask romanians) Germany and Denmark: The wattenmeer

[@justjulia1720]

As a Romanian, thank you

[@Yoshi3977]

especially talking not about beauty but uniqueness, the wattenmeer seems nearly unbeatable

[@Daigotsumax]

What a beautiful, relaxing video. Just what I needed on a sick day.

[@vincentw.6162]

Love your videos! Now I've got some new travel destinations. :D

[@AJPennyPacker2]

Everyone is commenting on your pronunciation and I just wanted to say it as well. Very admirable knowledge of the different locations. Those Icelandic towns are quite a mouthful.

[@AnnaRenee]

I learned about Thingvellir in a physical geography class in college, it’s been on my list ever since!

[@am.perronace]

Happy to see that you took my advice and dug deeper into Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo, truly one of the most biodiverse places in Europe

[@grafleberwurst1830]

I really enjoy your videos keep it up :)

[@Textbooktravel]

Thank you so much!! Lots more on the way :)

[@uutarn]

Your pronounciations are on point mate!

[@KayMac1]

Great video

[@user-ul5pt1yb8z]

Thanks a lot

[@kendallkahl8725]

The term Mustang originally referred to the first Spanish horses that like Arabian horses had d when less vertebrae in their back. Its makes for stout horses less prone to being sway back and also allows them to make tighter turns. It a breed trait with American quarter horses famed for being able to outmanuever cattle than other breeds due to the fact that Quarter horses are decended from Mustang stock.

[@filmneuro]

Most underrated channel!

[@BigEvan101]

agreed

[@Textbooktravel]

Thank you :)

[@adrianrutterford762]

Good News. A new video. Thank you.

[@jorgeprietogonzalez3888]

He congratulated the owner of the channel since it was a very good video. But I think it was missing an essential place, the Danube Delta, since it is the largest and best preserved delta in Europe and is currently protected.

[@dacian_1346]

Romania being ignored while It has the most biodiverse ecosystem in Europe ( Danube delta ) and the most biodiverse mountains range with over 70% of Europe’s secular forests( Carpathians ) which is indubitably the last wild place in Europe.

[@alejandroojeda1572]

Pal...he included a park in the netherlands 🙄

[@iankeel7914]

They are not "Moose" in Finland, they are European Elk.

[@arnenian3093]

Nice

[@Textbooktravel]

Thank you! :)

[@alexpulham7436]

My Cousin is a Herder at the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre, he's getting married there next year, very exited to visit the Cairngorms.

[@draphotube4315]

Can you share that map you used at introduction?

[@heichan8657]

Askania-Nova also contain one of the largest saiga population in the world, which is critically endangered

[@Nedlai]

Happy to hear that my home country, with the second biggest population in Europe had nothing worth to mentioning 😢😢

[@barryohagan9278]

Europe is a 10 out of 10 contient

[@PieterPatrick]

The Waddenzee is lot more interesting than The Hoge Veluwe. The Waddenzee is more real nature.

[@Textbooktravel]

That looks very interesting, thank you! I've added that one to the spreadsheet... I think we might have to do a Europe round 2 at some point :)

[@shrekscousin1389]

You should do a video on sharks next!

[@zoology6572]

Hi! Can you add regular animal fact files, meaning that you do a video on a specific species about there appearance, behavior, distribution, diet, threats, reproduction, and population. It would really be nice if you could!

[@am.perronace]

Btw the second pic of Iberian lynx is not actually an Iberian lynx, but a European one

[@alexandrk9302]

You are like a european AtlasPro. Glad that I found you at the early stage of your growth. P.S. The only complain that I have is how you butcher the pronunciation of slavic words such as przewalski or Białowieża. But that's inevitable, I guess

[@saroruhagoswami9202]

What is your suggestion for? If i visit European Wildlife Reserve 😊 Love from India ❤️🙏🇮🇳

[@NanuqEditzS]

Like I said, I don't think that Europe is boring and I love it here. I might sound kinda bias (or something), but I think that the Białowieża National Park is more Polish than Belarusian, because it's named after a Polish village, Białowieża and most of it is in Poland (I think), but anyways, as a Paleontology nerd, I have to say that Europe has A LOT of VERY interesting prehistoric animals like the Baryonyx, Silesaurus and also Dwarf Elephants that are related to Palaeoloxodon, the largest land animal to ever be discovered

[@Textbooktravel]

Haha, agreed! I think with this one I was just trying to find a different perspective/tell a story rather than just listing out the parks, which in itself is boring! That sounds very interesting, I did notice while researching the last video that Europe also has some of the early primate fossil sites too. I hope my pronunciation of Białowieża wasn't terrible! Have a great weekend :)

[@NanuqEditzS]

@@Textbooktravel Thanks! Have a great weekend too! And your pronunciation of Białowieża was really good

[@paracerplatformsaddle]

​@@NanuqEditzS correction: largest land mammal

[@saltaroscas6098]

Laurissilva?

[@indyreno2933]

Ferrets (aka polecats) and minks are both polyphyletic groups within the subfamily Mustelinae, the sole extant subfamily of the family Mustelidae, the three extant ferret species are the European Ferret (Putorius putorius), the Steppe Ferret (Putorius eversmannii), and the Black-Footed Ferret (Neoputorius nigripes) and the three extant mink species are the European Mink (Palaeovison lutreolus), the Caucasian Mink (Palaeovison turovi), and the American Mink (Neovison vison), interestingly, the Black-Footed Ferret (Neoputorius nigripes) and the American Mink (Neovison vison) are actually more closely related to each other than either is to the European Ferret (Putorius putorius) and Steppe Ferret (Putorius eversmannii) or to the European Mink (Palaeovison lutreolus) and the Caucasian Mink (Palaeovison turovi) respectively, both genera Neoputorius (New World Ferrets) and Neovison (New World Minks) are classified within the tribe Neogalini (New World Weasels, Ferrets, and Minks), which more closely relates both the Black-Footed Ferret (Neoputorius nigripes) and the American Mink (Neovison vison) to the weasels of the genera Leucictis and Neogale, Leucictis has one extant species being the Haida Ermine (Leucictis haidarum), while there are six extant weasel species within the genus Neogale, which are the Alaskan Weasel (Neogale eskimo), the American Ermine (Neogale richardsonii), the Long-Tailed Weasel (Neogale frenata), the American Little Weasel (Neogale allegheniensis), the Colombian Weasel (Neogale felipei), and the Amazon Weasel (Neogale africana), while both the genera Putorius (Old World Ferrets) and Palaeovison (Old World Minks) are classified within the tribe Mustelini (Old World Weasels, Ferrets, and Minks), which more closely relates the European Ferret (Putorius putorius), the Steppe Ferret (Putorius eversmannii), the European Mink (Palaeovison lutreolus), and the Caucasian Mink (Palaeovison turovi) to the weasels of the genera Kolonocus, Oreogale, Flavogaster, Cryptogale, Pocockictis, and Mustela, Kolonocus contains two extant species being the Siberian Weasel (Kolonocus sibiricus) and the Japanese Weasel (Kolonocus itatsi), Oreogale encompasses three extant species being the Chinese Mountain Weasel (Oreogale altaica), the Vietnamese Mountain Weasel (Oreogale tonkinensis), and the Indonesian Mountain Weasel (Oreogale lutreolina), Flavogaster and Cryptogale are both monotypic genera encompassing the Yellow-Bellied Weasel (Flavogaster kathiah) and the Black-Striped Weasel (Cryptogale strigidorsa) respectively, Pocockictis contains two extant species known as malayan weasels being the Bare-Footed Malayan Weasel (Pocockictis nudipes) and the White-Headed Malayan Weasel (Pocockictis leucocephalus), while there are now only eight extant weasel species of the Mustela genus, which are the Least Weasel (Mustela nivalis), the Common Weasel/Short-Tailed Weasel/Stoat/Ermine (Mustela erminea), the Missing-Toothed Weasel (Mustela astoodonnivalis), the Sichuan Weasel (Mustela russelliana), the Mediterranean Weasel (Mustela numidica), the Egyptian Weasel (Mustela subpalmata), the Morocco Weasel (Mustela moroccana), and the Algerian Weasel (Mustela algeriensis).

[@vernonfridy8416]

I ask you: where did you get this taxonomic scheme?

[@Textbooktravel]

Woah! I would love to dive a little deeper into Mustelids at some point, they are such cool animals!

[@yusufcanbaz8194]

Noice

[@TheReiX7]

New video,like.By the way bro, how long will it take you to make the video of the natural areas of Latin America. Don't worry, take your time

[@Textbooktravel]

Thank you! Ooo, that's a good question! Most likely not for a few months unfortunately, I need to do the next USA parks video soon and then we're exploring India and Asia! I actually live in Latin America so I am really looking forward to that video!!

[@TheReiX7]

@@Textbooktravel thanks (;

[@terarustika_teraristikco4416]

Where is my homeland germany

[@Textbooktravel]

Haha! Germany was in the "World's Greatest National Parks" video!! So, technically, I've categorized your beautiful homeland in a level above these countries ;)

[@riddhomohammadnazmussakib3799]

Can I please cuddle the reindeer

[@Textbooktravel]

Haha!! They do look very cuddly to be fair... just not in rutting season!! :)

[@houndofculann1793]

There are pettable reindeer in Lapland