The real Robinson Crusoe, who bought a £8000 island

Fifty years ago, a man bought an island in the Indian Ocean and began reintroducing the indigenous giant tortoise species.

The BBC recently visited the island of a 86-year-old Yorkshire man, Brendon Grimshaw.

He has lived without human company for many years on the island that he originally purchased for £8000.

However, he shares the island with a bunch of animals, and 120 giant tortoises.  It’s one of the world’s smallest national parks.

The BBC’s Simon Reeve went to visit him, and called him “An 86-year-old Robinson Crusoe.” He told the BBC that he has planted 16,000 trees on the island–that there were only four trees when he moved.

The property, which resembles paradise, is considered to be worth millions now. Grimshaw, however, refuses to sell, saying the only reason someone would want to buy it would be to put a hotel there.