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National Geographic
22-05-2025
- Science
- National Geographic
Shades of dark: the story of night photography
Joel Sartore takes you behind the scenes of wildlife sanctuaries that help protect the most endangered animals on Earth National Geographic CreativeWorks Today's camera technology enables almost anyone to take impressive photographs even in the lowest light. But the art of night photography has been driven by a few key personalities in a story that stretches back to the origins of photography itself. In 1895, when English photographer Paul Martin began making photographs of London at night, passers-by ridiculed him saying it was impossible to use a camera at night—he should stop wasting his time and go home to his wife. Martin's celebrated book, London by Gaslight, proved them wrong but it did epitomize the problem: cameras work by capturing light, so making pictures at night was the photographic final frontier. Today however, technological innovations in cameras and even some smartphones make it possible for anyone to capture strikingly clear images in low light. And people pushing the boundaries of night photography is a story almost as old as the camera itself. Nicéphore Niépce produced the first permanent photograph in around 1822, using a process later perfected by the artist and inventor Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre. Daguerre gave his name to the daguerreotype, the first fully-fledged form of photography, that he revealed in January 1839. Just a few days earlier, Daguerre is credited with pointing a telescope into the night sky and making the first ever photographic image of night's brightest feature—the moon. Unfortunately, his historic lunar image was blurred and existed for only a few months before being destroyed in a fire. Not too dissimilar from this camera, the first established form of photography was the daguerreotype, which made images by exposing photosensitive copper plates to light. Photograph from Shutterstock The first verified daguerreotype of the moon was made a year later by John William Draper. His notes describe exposing a prepared plate (a highly polished, silver-plated sheet of copper sensitized with iodine and bromine) to moonbeams focused through a double convex lens. The haunting image, framed by a bright halo, captures both the light and dark shading of the moon. In 1850, John Adams Whipple and William Bond of the Harvard Observatory went on to make the first successful daguerreotype of a distant star—Vega. Their collaboration kick-started astrophotography: barely a decade after photography began, it was probing the night sky for the secrets of the universe. While astrophotography pointed cameras to the cosmos, George Shiras swapped a hunting rifle for a camera to pioneer wildlife photography—notably at night. In 1893, Shiras captured the first known night-time photograph of animals, a striking image of three deer leaping away from the burst of his flash. Over the following decades Shiras' night photography lifted the veil on the nocturnal activities of animals with National Geographic magazine dedicating almost an entire issue to his photographs in 1906 and President Theodore Roosevelt imploring him to publish them as a book. For his earliest photographs, Shiras would simply float quietly in his canoe and point the camera towards promising sounds in the darkness, but over time he devised innovative techniques still used today. As well as his ground-breaking use of flash (an explosion of magnesium powder) Shiras adapted a native American hunting technique called 'jacklighting': Locating animals in the dark by looking for his lanturn's glow reflecting in their eyes before triggering the flash and camera. Shiras also invented camera traps, setting bait, and using tripwires to remotely trigger both flash and camera. A lion lit up in the wild. Illuminating wildlife for night photography like this was pioneered by ex-hunter George Shiras, who located animals using the light of his lantern before setting off a flash. Photograph from Shutterstock Naturally, technological advances drove the art form forward and in the 1880s it was the invention of the gelatin dry plate that allowed for the longer exposures and greater light sensitivity night photography needed. From the 1890s, photographers including Paul Martin in England and Alfred Stieglitz in New York experimented with this, Stieglitz cutting exposure time from 30 minutes to less than a minute enabling him to capture moving objects at night. But it was the Hungarian photographer Brassai who popularized night photography. In the early 1930s, Brassai's Paris de Nuit documented the seedy side of the city's nightlife, sometimes using nature to enhance the urban images and relishing the rain and fog that he felt made the city more photogenic. His work was an immediate hit and night photography was accepted by the art scene. However, by the 1940's interest waned and wasn't really revived until the 1970s when a new wave of night photographers emerged focused in California. Among the leaders of the revival was Richard Misrach whose stark night-time images of cacti, trees, rocks, and the desert floor helped turn him into one of the most influential photographers of his generation. Around the same time, Steve Harper began to capture the passage of time by using 20-minute exposures to track the movement of the stars across the night sky. A pioneer in the field he painstakingly explored, researched, and taught the art of using different lighting techniques, film types, and developing protocols to perfect night photography for a new generation of enthusiasts. The arrival of digital cameras has taken night photography to a new level, where lenses can cut through the blackness to see what even the eye cannot. Improved sensors capture light ever more efficiently while software reduces the grainy quality associated with low light photography. The next leap forward is to make such technology accessible to everyone, something that leading global smart device brand OPPO has realized with its flagship OPPO Find X5 Pro smartphone. Cameras are now synonymous with cell phones, enabling more people to capture more sights and special moments than ever—and at ever improving quality. But taking good low-light photographs on a smartphone has long been a challenge. Shot on OPPO Find X5 Pro, additional hardware and software used. A pigmy hippo, photographed at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. Photograph by Joel Sartore The OPPO Find X5 Pro has been specially designed to master the low light photograph and capture night scenes with unprecedented clarity. Its 4K ultra-night video and ultra HDR capabilities are powered by OPPO's self-developed imaging NPU, capturing videos at night that are bright, rich in detail, and awash in captivating colours. Together with its incomparable dual flagship IMX766 camera system and incredible SUPERVOOC™ Flash Charging technology, the Find X5 Pro opens up new levels of authenticity to photographs taken in the dark. Now, like Paul Martin, we can brush off the cynicism that a night photograph is impossible and even instantly show that a crystal-clear night image can be achieved on a smartphone—flawless night photography has come to the masses. For more on 'Endangered color after dark', click here.
National Geographic
11-03-2025
- Science
- National Geographic
Forgotten forests: Regenerating the kelp forest highway
The rich resources of Pacific kelp forests helped humans populate the Americas. Now depleted by as much as 95 percent, they need our help to recover. The kelp forests off the coast of Ensenada in Baja California once supported a thriving community of sea creatures. Now much depleted, they need our help to recover. Video by National Geographic CreativeWorks The story goes that sometime during the last Ice Age, perhaps 20,000 years ago or so, small bands of seafaring humans followed the fertile coastal waters of the Pacific Rim from Asia north into Beringia—the hinterland between Russia and Canada—so entering the Americas for the first time. There followed a rapid intergenerational migration down through the continent all the way to Central and South America. How were humans able to spread so quickly across such a vast area? Some of the latest research suggests it was thanks to a unique ocean ecosystem: kelp forests. The 'kelp highway hypothesis' has largely replaced the Clovis theory, which held that terrestrial hunter-gatherers crossed the Bering land bridge in order to reach America. Instead, many researchers now believe that maritime peoples took a largely linear route along America's west coast, harvesting a wide variety of resources from the system of kelp forests that runs all the way from present day Alaska to Baja California and beyond. Fish, shellfish, and marine mammals would have provided reliable year-round sustenance. The kelp itself can be eaten, while its strong stipes (stems) were likely fashioned into fishing lines and tools. Baja California is close to the southernmost reaches of the Pacific kelp forest highway that stretches all the way from Alaska to Mexico. Photograph by Celeste Sloman Kelp refers to more than 100 species of large brown seaweed. After coral reefs, kelp forests are among the most productive marine ecosystems on Earth. They provide both food and shelter to thousands of species including invertebrates, fish, marine mammals and seabirds. Kelp grows quickly, adding up to 18 inches (45 centimeters) a day if conditions are optimal, reaching an average height of 100 feet (30 meters). Together, it forms dense forests—three dimensional structures in the water column that offer a wide variety of habitats and ecosystem services from the seabed through the mid-levels to the canopy close to the surface. One of the fastest growing organisms on Earth, kelp can reach heights of 200 feet (60 meters) and more, creating a range of habitats in the water column, from sea bed to canopy. Photograph by Celeste Sloman For Mexican marine biologist Rodrigo Beas, there is nothing quite like these forests. 'First time I saw the kelp forests, I was like, wait, you can fly in a forest?' he exclaims. Beas grew up with coral reefs on his doorstep, but on a chance visit to the cooler waters of the Pacific he encountered bull kelp for the first time and fell in love. Like its terrestrial counterparts, giant kelp supports a complex and delicate ecology, from microscopic algae to urchins, stars and jellyfish to rockfish, bass and gobies—all the way through to sea otters, sea lions, sharks and cetaceans. 'Kelp forests provide all these different resources and a lot of them are fished or fishable,' Beas explains. '[But] when the kelp forest is gone, all the different species associated with the kelp forest are gone, too.' Like so many natural ecosystems around the world, many kelp forests are struggling as a perfect storm of impacts, including overfishing, pollution, disease and climate change, take their toll. Perhaps the most pressing and immediate of these challenges has been an explosion in sea urchin populations—caused by warming ocean waters. Marine biologist Rodrigo Beas prepares to dive one of the few healthy tracts of kelp forest that remain near Ensenada in north Baja California. Successive heatwaves have reduced forest cover by more than 90 percent in the area. Photograph by Celeste Sloman Kelp is algae that thrives in cold, nutrient rich waters—even slight temperature increases can disrupt the way it photosynthesizes and kill it off. 'Between 2013 and 2016, we recorded 355 days of marine heatwaves,' says Beas. 'So, it was very hot water over a long period of time and that reduced the forest coverage by 80 percent in this area of Mexico.' With its quick-growing capabilities, kelp should be able to bounce back, but that's where the sea urchins come in. According to Beas, when kelp forests are thriving, purple sea urchins remain relatively passive, staying in their cracks and crevices and feeding mainly on kelp detritus. 'When the kelp is gone, the sea urchins switch their behavior to more active and aggressive eating and the reef gets covered with sea urchins and nothing but sea urchins,' Beas explains. 'They produce these sea urchin deserts. And as the kelp forests disappear, so do the sea otters, sharks, lobsters, crabs and fish that feed on sea urchins, helping to control their population.' Purple urchins have overrun the kelp forests—a stress response triggered by a lack the kelp detritus they usually feed on, which causes them to eat more aggressively. Photograph by Celeste Sloman This is a classic example of how climate change can massively affect trophic cascades, triggering widespread destruction across an ecological system—and impacting human livelihoods, too. Fishing communities have had to adapt to rapidly shifting dynamics, as their traditional fisheries are disrupted. Many of the invertebrates and fish species that thrive in the kelp forest have a high economic value, so the human cost of this ecological crisis is mounting. In northern California, for example, the red abalone fishery, worth millions of dollars annually, has been closed indefinitely. There is no easy answer to arrest the decline in kelp forests—but efforts are underway to help them recover. Volunteer divers armed with hammers and other tools are culling purple sea urchins in strategic locations, creating cleared zones where kelp can regenerate. There's evidence that this hands-on approach can be successful in giving kelp the breathing space it needs to make a comeback. Scientists are also exploring ways to make kelp more resilient to warming waters—potentially seeding heat-resilient species of kelp in highly damaged areas. Kelp forests are one of the most productive marine ecosystems on the planet. They're also resilient and there is hope that they can recover with our help. Photograph by Celeste Sloman Beyond their historical significance and economic value, kelp forests are powerful allies in the fight against climate change, sequestering vast amounts of carbon and buffering coastlines against storms that are likely to become increasingly violent. They're also living laboratories for understanding how marine ecosystems might adapt to changing conditions. Kelp has been around for 23 million years. It has survived ice ages and heatwaves and provided a pathway for humans to populate an entire continent. Bringing it back will require the kind of ingenuity and collaborative effort that drove those early migrations in the first place. To protect vital marine ecosystems like kelp forests, we need to understand them better. It's one of the reasons that Prada Group teamed up with UNESCO-IOC to create SEA BEYOND educational program—a global initiative that teaches ocean literacy to thousands of children in schools around the world, inspiring young generations to safeguard the ocean. 1% of the proceeds from the Prada Re-Nylon for SEA BEYOND Collection benefit SEA BEYOND. Find out more about how understanding our ocean can be the very thing to help save it; and more about Prada Group's work with UNESCO-IOC here.
National Geographic
19-02-2025
- Science
- National Geographic
Marine engineers: Five species that shape underwater ecosystems
Among the myriad creatures that populate our ocean, some stand out as having an outsized impact on the marine environment—shaping and maintaining habitats that themselves sustain countless other forms of life. Gentle Giants. La Paz, Mexico is a mecca for juvenile whale sharks which return to the plankton rich waters of the Gulf of California each year to feed in relatively protected waters, before embarking on longer migrations. Video by National Geographic CreativeWorks Ecosystem engineers are species whose behaviors help build, modify and maintain an array of underwater worlds. None of these creatures are impacting our ocean like human beings, however. Which is why Prada Group, together with UNESCO-IOC, created the SEA BEYOND educational program—which benefits from 1 percent of the proceeds from the Prada Re-Nylon for SEA BEYOND Collection—that teaches ocean literacy in schools around the world. The hope is to inspire a new generation of ocean custodians to discover creatures like the ones described below. And in understanding them, feel an urgent need to protect them. Reef-building Corals: master architects Coral polyps are among the greatest builders on our planet. From the tropics to the Arctic, these tiny creatures spend thousands of years patiently constructing the largest living structures on Earth. Corals are actually microscopic animals that enjoy a symbiotic relationship with tiny algae called zooxanthellae. The corals provide the zooxanthellae with the carbon dioxide and water they need to photosynthesize, while the zooxanthellae supply the building blocks of sugars and proteins the corals need in order to secrete the calcium carbonate that forms the building materials of the vast three dimensional 'cities' that account for approximately 1 percent of the ocean floor, yet support approximately 25 percent of all marine species. Coral reefs provide more than just shelter though—they modify the flow of water and influence wave patterns, distributing nutrients and larvae, especially in the tropics. They also provide coastal barriers that protect coasts from storm surges and erosion. Find a human architect or engineer who can do all of that! Coral reefs are the ultimate underwater architects, working in tandem with tiny algae to shape their colorful calcium carbonate habitats—the most productive marine ecosystems on Earth. Photograph from Adobe Stock Unlike most sharks, whale sharks are filter feeders, a trait they share with that other ocean behemoth, the whale. These gentle giants cycle vast amounts of nutrients through their feeding habits and as such play a crucial role in regulating marine microbes like plankton, as well as chemicals like nitrogen that support all life in the ocean. Whale sharks spend most of their lives migrating vast distances between feeding grounds and in doing so they deposit vital nutrients through their excrement, which in turn fertilizes phytoplankton blooms, helping to regulate the spread of these crucial microorganisms across different biogeographical zones, as well as through the water column. Research shows that whale sharks routinely dive to depths below 3,200 feet (1,000 meters), vertically blending nutrients by feeding on krill in deep waters, before excreting them closer to the surface. This fertilizing activity, which is shared by many cetaceans, is known as the 'whale pump,' or in some circles 'the poop loop,' and supports the entire web of life in the ocean. Whale sharks also help regulate fish populations by preventing any single species from dominating the ecosystem. Like whales, whale sharks are filter feeders that consume enormous amounts of plankton and small fish, helping to maintain the balance of the marine food web. Photograph by CELESTE SLOMAN Deep sea mussels are not like the mussels you might enjoy in a white wine, butter, and lemon juice sauce. Unlike their shallow water counterparts, deep sea mussels live and die in the lightless depths of the ocean, between 1,600 feet (500 meters) and close to 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) underwater. Their preferred habitat is in close proximity to hydrothermal vents that spew water laden with chemicals that are toxic to human beings, but provide the mussels with the compounds they need to create energy. Over time, they gather in dense colonies that can cover thousands of square feet of the sea bed, forming complex three-dimensional habitats, not unlike reefs, that provide shelter for a wide variety of deep sea species. The deep-sea bivalves act like a vast filtration system, modifying the chemical composition of the water around the vents so that it is more habitable. Like corals, they are symbiotes, hosting tiny bacteria that assist them with metabolic conversions, as well as protecting them from viruses and other harmful bacteria. Deep-sea mussels thrive close to hydrothermal vents, forming dense beds that provide habitats and sustenance for other species. PhotographCOURTESY OF DEEPWATER CANYONS 2013 - PATHWAYS TO THE ABYSS, NOAA-OER/BOEM/USGS. They may lack the charisma of corals, but blow lugworms (Arenicola marina) play a crucial role in shaping both underwater and terrestrial topographies. They are not unlike earthworms, except instead of soil, they process sediment through a combination of burrowing and feeding that is known as bioturbation. These activities form funnels in the sand that facilitate the transfer of oxygen and help prevent sand from clogging. At the same time, the lugworms literally 'eat' the sand, extracting tiny microorganisms and organic matter as they ingest it. They then pop their tails just above the surface and excrete the processed sand, creating the distinctive tiny coils that can be seen across beaches all over the world. Yes, these coils are lugworm poops. At the same time, lugworm burrows provide habitats for other species, while the entire intertidal ecosystem is made more habitable thanks to their filtering activities. Lugworms sift sand in huge quantities in a process known as bioturbation, oxygenating beaches and providing habitats for many other small creatures. Photograph from Adobe Stock (Top) (Left) and Photograph from Adobe Stock (Bottom) (Right) If you've ever dived or snorkeled a coral reef, chances are you will have encountered these champions of marine industry. And if you've ever set foot on a tropical beach, then you've witnessed the outcome of their hard work. Parrotfish—so named for their colorful livery and powerful beaks—are literally able to create beaches. They do so by feeding on the algae that grow inside coral polyps, inadvertently ingesting huge amounts of calcium carbonate in the process. Their digestive systems then convert the coral skeleton into fine white sand. They are voracious eaters and can take 20 bites of coral in a minute—making them prolific excreters, too. It's estimated that a single parrotfish can generate nearly 2,000 pounds (900 kilograms) of sand in a year. Scientists believe they play a key role in shaping coastal ecosystems around coral reefs, even helping to form coral atolls. Parrotfish feed on algae inside coral polyps—consuming hard coral skeleton in the process, which they poop out as fine white sand, literally engineering picture postcard beaches. Yes, that's parrotfish poop between your toes! Photograph from Adobe Stock Through SEA BEYOND, Prada Group and UNESCO-IOC have reached almost 35,000 students from 184 schools and 56 countries around the world, investigating the connection between the ocean and climate and related environmental challenges. Find out more about how understanding our ocean can be the very thing to help save it; and more about Prada Group's work with UNESCO-IOC here.
National Geographic
11-02-2025
- National Geographic
Gods, myths & wonders of Japan's National Parks
Creation legends and folk tales swirl like snow and leaves across the protected landscapes of Japan. This selection of four national parks represent different worlds of natural beauty, biological diversity, and divine mystery, manifested in a single island nation. By National Geographic CreativeWorks 2024 marked the 90th anniversary of Japan's national parks—first established to satisfy a growing domestic interest, and stimulate the curiosity of foreign travelers. The events of the century that followed have changed the country almost beyond recognition in some ways. Many first-time arrivals from abroad now tend to expect a nation of dynamic, even futuristic cities, defined by high-speed transport and high-tech infrastructure. Between those spaces, they might also envision historic gardens, palaces, and tea houses, preserved or restored from the Edo, Meiji, Taisho, and Showa periods. But the national parks remain somewhat lesser known, perhaps, within the legacy of that latter era. As of June 2024, their number has grown to 35, protecting some of Japan's most beautiful natural environments. And while they may reach into regions far removed from the urban world, their flourishing also depends on careful human management and harmonious coexistence with the people who live in and around these domains. Thus, assured of unobtrusive support by way of hiking trails, information centers, and guided tours in places, the visitor can discover a different Japan for every park they enter. The selections below cover a vast range of territory on or around the islands of Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu, and Okinawa. Each park reposes in its own rich ecosphere of plants and animals, with its own native myths and legends arising from particular features of the land or seascape. To explore these environments means not only enjoying rural Japan in all its raw physical beauty, but also passing into other realms of elder gods and animating spirits. Daisetsuzan The Ainu people indigenous to the northern Japanese archipelago, and especially to the island of Hokkaido, believe that when the gods descend from their realm to ours, they manifest as animals, rivers, and even mountains. In the heights of Daisetsuzan National Park, where volcanoes rise to peaks over 6,500 feet (2,000 meters), is a beautiful alpine domain that the Ainu call Kamuy Mintar, or 'The Playground of the Gods.' Today, the park can be a playground for mortals, too, albeit so harsh and cold in its upper ranges that even winter sports are best enjoyed a little lower down the slopes. The ski area of Mount Kurodake is small and simple compared to major resorts elsewhere, but the prevailing snow conditions at this altitude draw the season out much longer, from November to early May. This also makes for a shorter summer in which to take full advantage of the thaw. The truly intrepid, duly skilled, and properly prepared with local information, might now embark on the Daisetsuzan Grand Traverse—an epic multi-day trekking route across sharp ridges, stark plateaus, and habitats where brown bears and Ezo red foxes shelter under the so-called 'Rooftop of Hokkaido.' Snowmelt swells the waterways of Kamikawa, and rafting expeditions carry the visitor down from the highlands through glistening river valleys and gorges flanked by strange polygonal pillars of rock. Steep initial climbs level out to hiking routes that lead over colorful fields of seasonal flowers on the Numa-No-Hara High Moor, or under vivid golden leaves as early fall starts to tint the foliage at lower altitudes around Lake Shikaribetsu. Permafrost prevails even down there, deep within the layers of rock of the foothills, cold and heat coexisting in expressions of power and beauty. Cool breezes blow through caves, crevices, and boulder fields in the summer to let moss flourish and endearing species like the pika live comfortably, while natural thermal springs warm the bones of weary travelers at onsen bathhouses in Sounkyo and Mount Tokachidake. Lake Shikaribetsu, Daisetsuzan National Park. Photograph by Hideki Nawate Mount Asahidake, Daisetsuzan National Park. Photograph by Hideki Nawate One of Japan's many origin stories tells of the world going dark when the sun goddess, Amaterasu Omikami, sealed herself inside a cave. The other gods consulted on how to coax her out with dances, while Ame no Tajikarao—a deity known to boast of his strength—tossed the boulder that had concealed her high into the air. Where it fell to earth, the discarded rock 'became' Mount Togakushi, the centerpiece of what is now a vast national park. Respect for that mountain is today manifested in both physical and spiritual engagement. The gods who made it are duly honored (among several others) at five ancient shrines where mystics known as Shugendo have been paying respects for centuries. Their pilgrim trail doubles as a hiking route through a realm of tall pines and reflective waters, such as Kagamiike Pond. The cedar-lined approach to the main shrine at Okusha is renowned for its uncanny beauty. The steep upper slopes of the Togakushi Mountain Range and other peaks within the park—Myoko, Kurohime, Takatsuma, Iizuna etc—present forgiving climbing routes for beginners, and challenges for serious mountaineers. Heavy snows in winter resorts tend to have a fine texture known as 'JAPOW', or Japan Powder, allowing for some excellent skiing with the added benefit of post-piste hot spring baths at the likes of Akakura and Seki Onsen. Steaming bowls of the region's signature buckwheat soba noodles go down especially well in these conditions. Warmer months present the more leisurely options of paddleboarding on Lake Nojiri, or following the Hokkoku Kaido, an Edo period highway that now makes for relatively gentle walking or cycling over foothills and flatlands, passing orchards and rice paddies. And when the season turns again, the leaves turn to colors of blood and fire on high moors around Koya-ike Pond, across the spectacular fall foliage of Koya Marsh that extends to Mount Hiuchi, and deep into the beech forests below Mount Amakazari. A certain mystery abides all year through, this being the hallowed training ground for those mountain ascetics whose rigorous practices gave rise to the abiding myth of Japan's shadow warriors, the Togakure-ryū ninja. Pathway in Myoko-Togakushi Renzan National Park. Photograph by Tatsuya Nieda The Oyamazakura Cherry Blossoms of Kurohime Plateau and Mount Myoko, Myoko-Togakushi Renzan National Park. Photograph by Hideki Nawate The Kuroshio Current, or 'Black Tide,' takes its name from the deepness and darkness of its blueness, and that color comes from its relative emptiness. It's a paradox, in fact, being poor in nutrients yet rich in marine life as it flows north up the Pacific to reach Japanese waters off the southern coast, and stream between the islands that comprise Yakushima National Park. The current brings loggerhead turtles to nest on Yakushima itself, a motif expressed by the villagers of Nagata Beach in a folk tribute called the Kamejo Odori. Designated tours with certified guides treat these creatures with due care, and to swim or dive around them (or the green turtles more common to these waters), is to understand the seascape as vital to the nature and culture of the island. The terrain, meanwhile, rises steeply from coastal cliffs through laurel forests and mossy ravines, to alpine elevations with soaring granite peaks that inspire a kind of divine mountain worship, or takemairi, among local communities known as Sato. Hikers and climbers can see that reverence in the shrines to locally worshipped gods on the upper slopes and peaks, above a vertical wilderness of such variety that the native plants and animals (Yakushika deer, Yakushima macaques, 1,000-year-old Yakusugi cedars) are said to have inspired the great film-animator Hayao Miyazaki and his mythic environmental parable Princess Mononoke. The slim chance of sighting a rarer animal, the large Erabu fruit bat, may draw adventurers farther out by boat to the neighboring island of Kuchinoerabujima. There, volcanic forces have created a wild contrasting habitat of fumaroles, tide pools, and uncanny rock formations like the so-called 'Standing God of Nemachi.' The magnetic power of the place can be forbidding, too, and visits are restricted during certain periods of volcanic activity. Shiratani Unsui Gorge, Yakushima National Park. Photograph by Hideki Nawate Senpiro Falls, Yakushima National Park. Photograph by Hideki Nawate Various Ryukyu Islands are said to trace the footsteps of the deity Amamikyu, as they skipped across the sea while creating them from grasses, stones, and trees. Northern Okinawa received a bumper share of the latter, and Yambaru National Park is spectacularly rich in greenery, from primeval mangroves on Gesashi Bay to vast Japanese evergreen oak forests through its interior. For centuries, the region was famous for supplying firewood, charcoal, indigo, and the timber that built ships and castles. Today, those woodlands make for transportive hikes and nature walks, with trails through evergreen forests with bamboo groves beneath them around Mount Ibu, over dramatic limestone cliffs at Kayauchi Banta, and along the atmospheric ASUMI Spiritual Hikes that are said to bear lingering traces of these islands' original legends. Subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest also envelops inland cascades like Taa Falls. Many areas of the park have UNESCO World Natural Heritage due in large part to the sheer diversity of species that live amid this foliage, including abundant frogs, dragonflies, and endemic birds as rare and beautiful as the endangered Okinawa woodpecker. An especially lucky visitor might even encounter the highly elusive Okinawa rail—which is rarely spotted, but sometimes heard by its distinctive call in the early morning and evening—on a guided night trek through Kunigami Forest Park. The human inhabitants of Yambaru are notably protective of its natural world, and native culture is rooted in ancient folk arts and rituals that tend to express abiding gratitude. In that spirit, the villagers of Ada perform a costumed sequence of drumming, chanting and dancing at the annual Shinugu in Ada—their particular means of praying to presiding gods of the mountains above and sea below. Shioya Bay, meanwhile, forms a natural auditorium for the annual Ungami Festival, where villagers race in ceremonial boats and play drums waist-deep in the water. There, against a backdrop of white and deep greenery, the local priests look toward the blue. In praying for a bountiful catch, they uphold the native Nirai Kanai belief that the gods themselves bring blessings to these islands from their unseen heaven beyond the sea. Yambaru Forest, Yambaru National Park. Photograph by Hideki Nawate Kayauchi Banta, Yambaru National Park. Photograph by Hideki Nawate This paid content article was created for the Ministry of the Environment, Japan. It does not necessarily reflect the views of National Geographic, National Geographic CreativeWorks, or their editorial staffs.
National Geographic
30-01-2025
- Science
- National Geographic
Sound waves and sea creatures
Thousands of marine species from microscopic zooplankton to the largest cetaceans rely on sound for survival and many have evolved unique oral and aural adaptations. Understanding them better could help us reduce the impact of anthropogenic noises from shipping and marine industry. Beneath the waves, the ocean is a world of sound. Marine animals like whales use sound to travel, communicate, and find food underwater. But since humans have introduced machinery, the ocean is a far louder place. Video by National Geographic CreativeWorks Humans tend to associate the ocean with silence. Yet water doesn't mute sound, but amplifies it. Sound waves travel 4.3 times faster underwater than they do in the air and they retain their energy for much longer. Many sea creatures depend on sound, and have evolved complex systems of communication that they use for connection, reproduction, territorial assertion and survival. But over the last few decades, the ocean has become an increasingly noisy place thanks to us humans—shipping noise, industry and seismic air guns searching for oil and gas have a devastating impact on many sea creatures that rely on sound for survival. Through the SEA BEYOND educational program—which benefits from 1% of the proceeds from the Prada Re-Nylon for SEA BEYOND Collection—Prada Group and UNESCO-IOC are bringing the underwater world into classrooms around the world and helping to foster a deeper understanding and love for our planet's marine ecosystems—including the acoustic environment. Here are five marine animals that display unique aural adaptations that help them to thrive underwater. 1. Sperm whales: Masters of echolocation Because they spend a great deal of their time at depths of between 1,000 and 10,000 feet (300-3,000 meters) where little or no sunlight can penetrate, sperm whales rely on echolocation to navigate. This marine giant emits powerful vocalizations in the form of rhythmic clicks that bounce off underwater objects so that the whale can create a highly detailed sonic map of the surrounding ocean topography. These clicks are capable of traversing great distances and are useful for detecting prey and communicating with pod members that may be hundreds of miles away. They pack a punch, too, reaching up to 230 decibels—enough to stun prey like squid or sharks. This echolocation ability is highly evolved—a sperm whale is able to single out a small ray from the kaleidoscope of ocean sounds surrounding it with surgical accuracy in total darkness. Sperm whales navigate in the dark ocean depths using echolocation, emitting clicks of up to 230 decibels that can travel for miles underwater. Photograph from Adobe Stock Like sperm whales, sea lions are highly vocal animals, but they operate in a very different ecosystem. Many sea lion populations are found in the dense kelp forests that form a great highway along the Pacific coast of the Americas. Here, they use sound to keep track of each other, socialize, navigate and lay claim to territory. Indeed, sea lions are among the noisiest of sea creatures, letting out barks, grunts, growls, whines and clicks that all carry meaning. Male sea lions, for example, generate distinctive territorial calls that resonate through the marine environment, creating underwater sound maps that define breeding and hunting territories. These calls can extend several kilometers, allowing sea lions to establish precise acoustic boundaries without resorting to physical confrontation. Mother sea lions communicate with their pups using highly individualized calls that are instantly recognizable—an invaluable tool for keeping track of errant offspring in the thick kelp forests, or when joining hunting migrations. Sea lions are some of the most vocal marine animals—which reflects their highly social nature. Photograph from Adobe Stock Pistol shrimps may be small, averaging around 1.5 inches (4cm) in length, but to say that these little crustaceans punch above their weight is an understatement. The pistol shrimp possesses one outsized claw, which it can snap closed at close to 65 miles per hour (100kmh). This creates what's called a 'cavitation bubble' that can generate an extraordinary 218 decibels of sound when it collapses under the pressure of the water surrounding it. For a split second, this sonic blast heats the water close to the bubble to temperatures in excess of 8,000 degrees Fahrenheit (4,427 degrees Celsius)—four times hotter than lava. It's a pretty handy talent when it comes to stunning or killing prey, such as small fish and invertebrates, deterring predators or competitors from entering its territory, as well as for communicating with other pistol shrimps. Despite their diminutive size, pistol shrimp—or snapping shrimp, as they are often known—can generate underwater explosions at an astonishing 218 decibels. Photograph from Adobe Stock Secreting itself among rocks on the seabed and in sheltered coastal habitats, at first glance the oyster toadfish looks like a nondescript blob, but it's actually quite the lothario. Male toadfish woo potential mates using a medley of mating calls that they generate by vibrating their swim bladders—sort of like an underwater bagpipe. During the breeding season, the males use their muscles to rapidly contract their swim bladders, generating what's often described as a 'boat whistle' sound at frequencies that are capable of traversing significant distances in search of a female. Each vocalization is distinctive, and marine researchers are able to identify individual fish by their unique sonic signatures. Besides these love songs, toadfish also use acoustic signals to ward off competitors, socialize and establish territory. These bottom-dwelling fish woo potential mates by vibrating their swim bladders at frequencies that can traverse great distances, generating sound signatures that are easily recognizable. Photograph from Shutterstock The plainfin midshipman is a nocturnal species of toadfish that has evolved a highly sensitized auditory adaptation. Native to the Pacific coast of the US, this unassuming bottom-dweller has an acute sense of hearing that is keyed into specific frequencies and even changes depending on the season. Their delicate inner ear structures—called the utricle and saccule—are fine-tuned to detect specific sound signatures. These sensory organs are lined with microscopic hair cells that translate mechanical vibrations into neural signals, and are highly developed. What's more, female plainfins are better able to hear quieter sounds in the summer thanks to changes in dopamine levels in their inner ear—a form of auditory plasticity that allows them to detect and choose mates. Another bottom dweller, the plainfin midshipman has highly adapted hearing, using inner ear mechanisms to differentiate between different sounds. Photograph from Adobe Stock Marine ecosystems provide critical life support to countless unique species—including humans. To protect them, we need to understand them. This is one of the key reasons Prada is channeling 1% of proceeds from its regenerated Re-Nylon collection to encourage ocean literacy and research initiatives that help preserve our ocean. Find out more about how understanding our ocean can be the very thing to help save it; and more about Prada Group's work with UNESCO-IOC here.
