British Virgin Islands – wildlife and heritage

Watch the three-part Britain's Treasure Islands documentary series on BBC FOUR, starting Tue 12 Apr 2016 21:00. (repeated Wed 13 Apr 2016 20:00).

This mini-documentary explores the wildlife, history and heritage of the British Virgin Islands, a UK Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. Famed as a premier tourist destination, the British Virgin Islands are a treasure trove for wildlife, a home for endangered iguanas, red-footed tortoises and flamingos. It was here where Christopher Columbus called in during his second journey to the New World. Following decades brought copper miners and sugar plantations. Hints at the presence of Amerindians can be seen across the islands in enormous mounds of queen conch shells. Even larger modern deposits of conch shells form giant islands offshore - millions of conchs strong. On land, vast sea bird colonies also abound, including magnificent frigate birds. But the frigates suffer from a deadly menace - fishing line - which causes a deadly trap that kills hundreds of birds each year. We follow local conservationists who free the birds from the deadly fishing line. On the main islands, wildlife has faced intense pressure as well, but much of the vegetation of the Territory is now regenerating, thanks to diverse conservation efforts and a network of well managed preserves.

http://www.BritainsTreasureIslands.com

Please note: although complementary to the BBC FOUR series, the 40 short mini-documentaries are not commissioned or editorially overseen by BBC.

MINI-DOCUMENTARIES

Introduction

Overview of the UK Overseas Territories    • Overview of the UK Overseas Territories  
Filming the Britain’s Treasure Islands TV documentary series    • Filming the Britain's Treasure Island...  
Stewart McPherson’s lecture at the Royal Geographical Society    • Stewart McPherson’s lecture at the Ro...  

Mini-documentaries about each of the UK Overseas Territories

Ascension Island – wildlife and heritage    • Ascension Island - wildlife and heritage  
Saint Helena – wildlife and heritage    • Saint Helena – wildlife and heritage  
Tristan da Cunha – wildlife and heritage    • Tristan da Cunha - wildlife and heritage  
Falkland Islands – wildlife and heritage    • Falkland Islands - wildlife and heritage  
South Georgia – wildlife and heritage    • South Georgia - wildlife and heritage  
British Antarctic Territory – wildlife and heritage    • British Antarctic Territory - wildlif...  
British Indian Ocean Territory – wildlife and heritage    • British Indian Ocean Territory - wild...  
Pitcairn Islands – wildlife and heritage    • Pitcairn Islands - wildlife and heritage  
Bermuda – wildlife and heritage    • Bermuda - wildlife and heritage  
Cayman Islands – wildlife and heritage    • Cayman Islands - wildlife and heritage  
British Virgin Islands – wildlife and heritage    • British Virgin Islands – wildlife and...  
Montserrat – wildlife and heritage    • Montserrat - wildlife and heritage  
Anguilla – wildlife and heritage    • Anguilla - wildlife and heritage  
Turks and Caicos Islands – wildlife and heritage    • Turks and Caicos Islands – wildlife a...  
Akrotiri and Dhekelia – wildlife and heritage    • Akrotiri and Dhekelia – wildlife and ...  
Gibraltar – wildlife and heritage    • Gibraltar – wildlife and heritage  

Mini-documentaries about specific subjects on particular UK Overseas Territories

Ascension Island – natives and aliens    • Ascension Island – natives and aliens  
Ascension Island – supplying the garrison    • Ascension Island – supplying the garr...  
Saint Helena – wirebird conservation    • Saint Helena – wirebird conservation  
Saint Helena – plant conservation    • Saint Helena – plant conservation  
Life on Tristan da Cunha – the World’s Most Remote Inhabited Island    • Life on Tristan da Cunha – the World'...  
Tristan da Cunha – the Monster Mice of Gough Island    • Tristan da Cunha – the Monster Mice o...  
Falkland Islands – Jimmy the ex-whaler    • Falkland Islands – Jimmy the ex-whaler  
British Indian Ocean Territory – coconut crabs    • British Indian Ocean Territory – coco...  
British Indian Ocean Territory – seabirds    • British Indian Ocean Territory – seab...  
British Indian Ocean Territory – underwater    • British Indian Ocean Territory – unde...  
Pitcairn Islands – Henderson Island’s wildlife    • Pitcairn Islands – Henderson Island's...  
Life on Pitcairn Island – home of the descendants of the mutineers from HMS Bounty    • Life on Pitcairn Island - home of the...  

Mini-documentaries about systematic wildlife groups across all of the UK Overseas Territories

Terrestrial Invertebrates of the UK Overseas Territories    • Terrestrial Invertebrates of the UK O...  
Amphibians and Reptiles of the UK Overseas Territories    • Amphibians and Reptiles of the UK Ove...  
Plants of the UK Overseas Territories    • Plants of the UK Overseas Territories  
Mammals of the UK Overseas Territories    • Mammals of the UK Overseas Territories  
Birds of the UK Overseas Territories    • Birds of the UK Overseas Territories  
Marine Life of the UK Overseas Territories    • Marine Life of the UK Overseas Territ...  

Overview mini-documentaries

Conservation Lessons of the UKOTs    • Conservation Lessons of the UK Overse...  
Islands of Evolution    • Islands of Evolution  
Overview of the Britain’s Treasure Islands book    • Overview of the Britain's Treasure Is...  
Shipping 5,000 books to all UK secondary schools COMING SOON
Overview of Britain’s Treasure Islands TV documentary series    • Overview of Britain's Treasure Island...