The ecological secrets of Big Island!
🌍 Whales, Volcanoes and Forests🌿
Welcome to Hawaii for the first episode of our unique Scientific Adventure, featuring burning lava flows, rain-drenched tropical forests and a magical encounter with the giants of the ocean!
📍 A Journey to the Heart of Active Volcanism
More than 3,500 km from the American coast, the Hawaiian archipelago was formed above a hot spot in the Earth's mantle. On Big Island, the geology is still very much alive: lava flows and tunnels, fire-sculpted reliefs... We're literally walking on soil in the making!
🌧️ Extreme climate and micro-ecosystems
Discover how trade winds, volcanic mountains and the orographic effect create radical microclimates on the same island. From the humid jungle of Hilo to the arid lands of Kona, Big Island is an open-air climate laboratory.
🧬 Extraordinary Endemic Species
Did you know that in Hawaii, some shrimps and fish can climb waterfalls of over 100 metres? Akaka Falls National Park reveals some fascinating adaptation strategies born of island isolation.
🔥 Exploring a Lava Tunnel
At the boundary between surface and underground, we enter a tunnel dug by lava centuries ago. Moisture, vegetation, soil instability: this hidden world tells the living story of the island.
🐋 Meet the humpback whales
Every winter, whales migrate from Alaska to give birth in the warm waters of Hawaii. Their 6,000 km journey is a biological feat... but it's also an essential part of keeping the oceans running smoothly.
🌱 Whales: Climate Engineers
Their movements, excrement and migrations fertilise the oceans, encourage phytoplankton and help capture carbon. It's no legend: whales help regulate the world's climate.
In this video, you can find out more about:
00:00 - Aloha and welcome to Hawaii
00:27 - How Hawaii was born from fire
02:34 - Tropical forest and microclimate in Akaka Falls
04:50 - Surprising species in the waterfalls
06:44 - Visible volcanism: lava flows and tunnels
10:34 - Westwards: lunar landscapes
13:12 - Meet the humpback whales
16:02 - Whales: an important animal
17:59 - Debrief and end of the day's expedition