La Réunion – Evolution's Experimental Lab

Nature & Wildlife 52' 2024 4K

The island of La Réunion, an overseas French department in the Indian Ocean, was formed 3 million years ago by volcanoes that are still active today. But it was colonized by humans only 400 years ago. ‘La Réunion - Evolution's Experimental Lab’ shows the impact of human civilisation on a previously untouched and isolated island ecosystem.

Tropical islands have the highest rate of species extinction worldwide. Of the 126 bird species that have gone extinct in the last 300 years, 90% were island species. These have been 40 times more threatened with extinction in the last 400 years compared to continental species.

With La Réunion’s stunning landscapes as its background, this insightful documentary showcases how the island’s native flora and fauna are being protected and how the invasive species threatening biodiversity are being combated.