Link to Chile, land of extremes: 3- Castaway islands documentary
Documentary Description
The fictional Robinson Crusoe was based on the true story of Alexander Selkirk, a Scottish sailor marooned on an ancient volcanic archipelago 350 miles off the coast of Chile. Selkirk was by no means the first castaway; when the island first appeared above the waves, it provided the stage for the evolution of a unique cast of plants and animals. Whether washed up by the sea, borne by the wind or even carried by birds, whether it was by accident or design, all these castaways were faced by a stark choice - adapt or die. With their evolutionary potential unleashed they gave rise to numerous species found nowhere else in the world, ranging from giant daisies to copper coloured humming birds. But 400 years ago, this veritable paradise was threatened by a new arrival - Man. Native animals and plants are now hanging on so precariously that even the disappearance of one individual could push them over the edge to extinction. For unlike Alexander Selkirk, who was rescued, there is no where else to go for those who live on these Castaway Islands
