South East Asia's rainforests, some of which have survived intact for over 30 million years, are the oldest living record of life on our planet. Siberut, which separated from Sumatra more than 500,000 years ago, occupies a unique position within this evolutionary record. Rough currents in the Mentawai Straight and pounding surf on the Western Coast, ensured that life on the island evolved virtually undisturbed by the outside world.

Scientists estimate that 60% of all animals on Siberut and 15% of all plants are endemic to the island. Many of these species have retained primitive characteristics, providing scientists with an irreplaceable laboratory to study an evolutionary link of life forms on our planet.

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