Nature's Wonderlands: Islands of Evolution: Madeira: Island Ark

SYNOPSIS

Palaeontologist Richard Fortey travels to Madeira in the north Atlantic to examine what happens to a volcanic island chain as it nears the end of its life-cycle and starts sinking back into the sea. He explores the remains of an ancient forest that once carpeted all of Europe, encounters lizards that live to be four times older than their mainland counterparts, and discovers an unexpectedly rich marine habitat populated by whales, dolphins and unusual deep-sea species.

Host: Richard Fortey