Text written in Basque and translated automatically by Elia without any subsequent editing. SEE ORIGINAL

A window to biodiversity

The website Bioaniztasuna.com is a window to observe biodiversity. The window is designed to be placed in schools. “It is conceived from an educational point of view, but it is nevertheless enjoyable for anyone who likes the sea,” says Xabier Mina, author of the website. In fact, for now, the landscapes seen from the window are submerged.

Xabier Mina Bella has a degree in marine sciences and “since then I have tried to be related to the sea in the works I have done”. After a few years of research, he moved on to education; he is a professor at ESO in Barañáin. “I’ve always been photographing at sea, and in recent years I’ve also been making videos. I had a lot of interesting material and I thought I would prepare it for use with the students.” Thus, the website is aimed at ESO students. It consists of photos and videos, and also proposes exercises to work with videos.

From this window of biodiversity we have focused in this report on the Cantabrian Sea. In fact, although there are images from all over the world, the Cantabrian Sea has been given special importance on the Mina website. Thus, in the section dedicated to our marine biodiversity, there are photographs of fish, crustaceans and molluscs with names in Latin, Basque and Spanish.

“Our coast has a peculiarity,” says Mina, “considering the latitude, it should be dominated by brown and green algae, as happens in France or Galicia, but here red algae predominate. That’s because the temperature is a little higher than you might expect.” Due to the characteristics of the Bay of Biscay, the surrounding waters are more temperate. “This bioclimatic anomaly is not limited to algae; it also affects other trophic levels. As a result, curiously enough, several of our coastal animals are also common in the Mediterranean or on the Moroccan coast.”

In the videos section there is also one recorded in the waters of the Basque Country, full of colorful and spectacular images. Also worth mentioning is the video of lanprois as strange as the unknown, recorded in the Bidasoa River.

Mina plans to continue her work and has been focusing on terrestrial biodiversity lately. “Considering how the Cantabrian Sea is during the year, I have also started making videos in the mountainous area. I haven't posted a video yet, but I've been filming in the pagadias of Navarre all year. I’ve been watching the animals change over the years.”

Acknowledging the pains that behind these images there is an “enormous work”. “But it’s a job done with pleasure, so it’s not a job,” he clarifies. “Right now, I’m done with class and, as the sea is very calm, I’m going underwater.” I'm sure the camera won't be far away.