Soft sand and coconut palms surround the contestants on Channel 10's "Survivor," the backdrop for the series' intrigues. The calm seas and tropical vegetation make the perfect scenery for the toned participants. Viewers of the hit show are told little about the anonymous island, which is in fact the Los Haitises National Park in the Dominican Republic, a nature reserve in which similar productions have been filmed in recent years for a variety of television channels in countries such as Spain, Argentina and Chile.
Los Haitises is hardly wild and forgotten, but in fact faces serious ecological threats. Behind the reality TV lies the harsh reality of corrupt politicians and warring interested parties. The diverse habitat is the center of a longstanding dispute between the state and local farmers, who were expelled under claims they were harmful to nature and the region's water sources. The farmers, who lived for decades in the park, now live in tin shacks in nearby villages in full view of the area from which they were expelled. Large sections of the reserve have been converted to outdoor recording studios in which various "Survivor" productions from various countries compete, sometimes more than one at a time.
Israeli reality TV series 'Survivor' causing ecological damage - Haaretz - Israel News
