A twenty-million-year-old forest survives in the shadow of the Sahara
In short: While most of Europe's ancient laurel forests vanished millennia ago, one remains intact on a remote island. This video explores Garajonay National Park, a sanctuary where evolution has carved out a unique biological paradise.
Located on the island of La Gomera in the Canary Islands, Garajonay National Park preserves a landscape that dates back twenty million years. It stands as a rare remnant of the vast laurel forests that once blanketed southern Europe, surviving despite significant environmental shifts over millions of years.
The park serves as a critical refuge for endemic species found nowhere else on Earth, including the Bolle's laurel pigeon and the La Gomera giant lizard. Because it exists without human intervention, the forest provides a rare look at natural biodiversity and evolutionary resilience in a changing world.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Garajonay: The Ancient Forest of Europe | Go Wild
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