Animal Planet ""Island Life""

This program on Animal Planet concentrated on various species living on Kangaroo Island, located in south Australia. In one part of the documentary the relationship between one particular species of flower and two species of bee was examined.

This program on Animal Planet concentrated on various species living on Kangaroo Island, located in south Australia. In one part of the documentary the relationship between one particular species of flower and two species of bee was examined. Although the local bee species managed to collect pollen from the flower, the wild bee was unable to. Animal Planet sought to bring an evolutionist perspective to bear on this, claiming that the plants had evolved together with the local bees.

It is clear, however, that the evolutionary claim being made here contributes nothing to the theory of evolution, which depends on natural processes in its account of the origin of species. The behaviour being linked to evolution consists of the relationship between a plant and a species of bee. Here, neither the plant leads to the emergence of a new species of bee nor the bee leads to the emergence of a new species of plant. The reason why a species of bee collects pollen from a flower which is compatible with its own body and why a wild species of bee cannot is simple, and it is certainly not "evolution."

In fact, it is evident that the attempt being made here to supply an explanation based on evolution is invalid. We can demonstrate this with an analogy. A family which moves to a country where seaweed is consumed in salads may not eat such foods because of its nutritional habits, but this does not show that the seaweed evolved together with the local population.

As we have seen, Animal Planet"s claims offer no support to the theory of evolution, but merely reflect its attempts to adapt its preconceptions in all arenas to the theory of evolution.