Uploaded April 2016 | Updated September 2026, 5 hours ago

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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 marine life of the coral reefs of the British Indian Ocean Territory. These reefs lie within the largest fully protected marine reserve on Earth, and due to their remoteness, they are widely regarded as the most intact coral ecosystem on the planet. The lack of commercial fishing allows the survival of the greatest densities of fish in all of the Indian Ocean. And the natural diversity is staggering, over one quarter of all reef fishes worldwide occur in the British Indian Ocean Territory, as well as endemic fish and coral species that occur nowhere else.

BritainsTreasureIslands.com

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

BRITAIN'S TREASURE ISLANDS - MINI-DOCUMENTARIES

Introduction

Overview of the UK Overseas Territories youtu.be/gl9As81DiDE
Filming the Britain’s Treasure Islands TV documentary series youtu.be/W2_yNNE-mCw
Stewart McPherson’s lecture at the Royal Geographical Society youtu.be/xOt93lM2F2I

Mini-documentaries about each of the UK Overseas Territories

Ascension Island – wildlife and heritage youtu.be/XpLeHUCuY8c
Saint Helena – wildlife and heritage youtu.be/qIsI6paJYZs
Tristan da Cunha – wildlife and heritage youtu.be/Fspkfxcrfwc
Falkland Islands – wildlife and heritage youtu.be/DzOIb4D8SQE
South Georgia – wildlife and heritage youtu.be/oHZUibDpWuk
British Antarctic Territory – wildlife and heritage youtu.be/_V88voefIQk
British Indian Ocean Territory – wildlife and heritage youtu.be/nnDKVZQhCbI
Pitcairn Islands – wildlife and heritage youtu.be/yJZQyhx13AA
Bermuda – wildlife and heritage youtu.be/oIxF74vcfzM
Cayman Islands – wildlife and heritage youtu.be/TrSetBtLAB8
British Virgin Islands – wildlife and heritage youtu.be/z1lvLLG1Csg
Montserrat – wildlife and heritage youtu.be/BFnetjV8W2c
Anguilla – wildlife and heritage youtu.be/Bf3E6pD1nHM
Turks and Caicos Islands – wildlife and heritage youtu.be/JR_vLHHCO10
Akrotiri and Dhekelia – wildlife and heritage youtu.be/t4vqTl3EozM
Gibraltar – wildlife and heritage youtu.be/F4ueaYy9TRM

Mini-documentaries about specific subjects on particular UK Overseas Territories

Ascension Island – natives and aliens youtu.be/F0xMAIFgPg4
Ascension Island – supplying the garrison youtu.be/8BUDEUwx0hE
Saint Helena – wirebird conservation youtu.be/dlXg5zrBIlA
Saint Helena – plant conservation youtu.be/bL-pAsNHLdY
Life on Tristan da Cunha – the World’s Most Remote Inhabited Island youtu.be/n4ElF8awm90
Tristan da Cunha – the Monster Mice of Gough Island youtu.be/wT14Q7pZJzo
Falkland Islands – Jimmy the ex-whaler youtu.be/alaCe4LbWyo
British Indian Ocean Territory – coconut crabs youtu.be/JCkNSWz-IDc
British Indian Ocean Territory – seabirds youtu.be/quksfCDxbGE
British Indian Ocean Territory – underwater youtu.be/cTJd_WW_NHI
Pitcairn Islands – Henderson Island’s wildlife youtu.be/6jK3As_VAjc
Life on Pitcairn Island – home of the descendants of the mutineers from HMS Bounty youtu.be/vPZHzfRXzjA

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

Terrestrial Invertebrates of the UK Overseas Territories youtu.be/16AuBMsI_GY
Amphibians and Reptiles of the UK Overseas Territories youtu.be/JrFeLvyJ0Io
Plants of the UK Overseas Territories youtu.be/JimYKMzLaqY
Mammals of the UK Overseas Territories youtu.be/lnthUbLaBFk
Birds of the UK Overseas Territories youtu.be/A0irRRrUbKk
Marine Life of the UK Overseas Territories youtu.be/Bu5TydBKFFo

Overview mini-documentaries

Conservation Lessons of the UKOTs youtu.be/8VIK87Gd134
Islands of Evolution youtu.be/dP7nFXkOg48
Overview of the Britain’s Treasure Islands book youtu.be/OYgKyuC3xVY
Shipping 5,000 books to all UK secondary schools COMING SOON
Overview of Britain’s Treasure Islands TV documentary series youtu.be/ynR40R50Unc