Galápagos

In the extreme isolation of the Pacific Ocean, nothing is as it seems. Iguanas swim the sea like dragons and nest in smouldering volcanic craters, birds become vampires and tool users, penguins, sharks, whales and seals lurk amongst colourful tropical corals, 500 pound tortoises bellow over lava fields... welcome to the Galápagos. Much more than just a chain of islands, the Galápagos is a living laboratory - a geological conveyor belt that has not only given birth to and seen the death of many species of plants and animals, but one which has changed our whole understanding of life on Earth. The inspiration behind Darwin’s theory of evolution, the Galápagos is an ever changing stage for a spectacular range of animals and plants. Savage, bizarre, hellish yet beautiful, these are the islands that changed our view of life on Earth and of ourselves. Witness the birth of an island rising from the cold oceanic depths in fiery volcanic explosions, the building of nightmarish lava fields, the archipelago on a march through time, baking deserts, tropical forests, ghostly alpine mountains and their colonisation by life, until, worn down by wind and waves, the land sinks back down to a watery grave. This landmark series examines the spectacular variety of wildlife and evokes the different characters of the islands and their history. (BBC)