No long ago, just a few years ago, you could see wild Pottokas in the Euskal Herria mountains.
The natural habitat of the Pottokas has been the north of Navarre, the Pyrenees, north of Gipuzkoa, Bizkaia and Alava. These territories have a rolling, round mountains landscape that seldom go over the 1,500 meters high. Since the weather is of the Atlantic type, it is frequent to find: high humidity, mild temperatures and many clouds. As the land gains meters the vegetation becomes more and more a grass land with some scatter woods. Since very remote days, the Pottoka has found food in the high grass land during the summer, and in the valleys during the winter months. But, the Pottoka habitat has been changing, with more Pine Trees instead of the local Oaks, and other species. Also the land has become more and more privately owned. Today, the Pottoka has been relegated to the mountain tops.

The Pottoka has had to adapt to the environment for centuries, for this reason her initial character has evolved. For this reason the Pottoka has a special constitution. The genetics determine the size, the looks, and the understanding they have, but the environment in which they develop may change some of those traits. The Pottoka may live the whole year round with the resources the environment can provide her. Many times, these resources are not enough so the Pottokas develop survival strategies. Therefore, they are able to strait where other species may not.
When there is no grass, the Pottokas may feed on tree barks, bushes and other kinds of plants, until Spring comes. It may feed on weeds and small tree branches that may be found under the snow.

The Pottoka is well adapted to the Basque Country mountains and hardships of winter. When the first hail begins to fall their body is covered by a thick coat of hair. When food lacks, their metabolism slows down, but in the summer time it will spend a lot of energy. In Spring they recover much of their weight with newly grown grass.

They love freedom and open spaces. They only search for cover to keep from cold and rain in the winter time, or to protect themselves from the summer heat. Such cover in the hills rarely is a closed space.
The grass fields and roaming in liberty are essential for the Pottoka survival, a condition that is fundamental if the Pottokas are to survive and breed in their natural inhabitant.