Nature's wonderlands. Episode 3, Madeira : island ark

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Summary

Because of their isolated eco-systems, islands provide nature's clearest illustration of how evolution works. It was by studying life on the Galapagos islands that Darwin's theory of evolution was ...

Because of their isolated eco-systems, islands provide nature's clearest illustration of how evolution works. It was by studying life on the Galapagos islands that Darwin's theory of evolution was born. More than 150 years later, Nature's Wonderlands goes to three islands to meet the unique species that illustrate his ideas. From carnivorous caterpillars and flowers that bloom once every 20 years, to the remains of pygmy hippos and gorilla-sized lemurs, this series profiles the modern-day residents of these habitats, as well as their fossilized forebears. This fascinating study explains how life on Earth has evolved, and asks how we can protect it against the growing threat of mass extinction. In the final episode, Richard Fortey travels to Madeira to examine what happens to a volcanic island as it nears the end of its life cycle and starts sinking back into the sea. Here, in the island's laurisilva forest, he examines the remains of an ancient forest that once carpeted all of Europe, finds island lizards that live to be four times older than their mainland counterparts, and meets a huge wolf spider. With the help of local divers, he also discovers an unexpectedly rich marine habitat populated by whales, dolphins and unusual deep-sea species that have much to tell us about the changing nature of our seas.

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