In Gorgeous Palau, Explorers Find Wonders Worth Protecting | National Geographic

our expedition team of scientists and

our expedition team of scientists and filmmakers has arrived in Palau and we

filmmakers has arrived in Palau and we

filmmakers has arrived in Palau and we already blown away

already blown away

already blown away how would I describe Palau allows like a

how would I describe Palau allows like a

how would I describe Palau allows like a crazy dream

this is one of the most beautiful places

this is one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen anywhere on the planet

I’ve seen anywhere on the planet

I’ve seen anywhere on the planet look at this untouched in vegetation is

look at this untouched in vegetation is

look at this untouched in vegetation is so wild to visitors

so wild to visitors

so wild to visitors Palau may seem like a fantasy a paradise

Palau may seem like a fantasy a paradise

Palau may seem like a fantasy a paradise from your dreams but for Palau once

this is home for thousands of years

this is home for thousands of years they’ve been living off the land and the

they’ve been living off the land and the

they’ve been living off the land and the sea

sea

sea in a constant search for balance with a

in a constant search for balance with a

in a constant search for balance with a natural world we say that as a people we

natural world we say that as a people we

natural world we say that as a people we are defined by the environments that we

are defined by the environments that we

are defined by the environments that we live in as a palau and when they say

live in as a palau and when they say

live in as a palau and when they say where Li you come the first thing that

where Li you come the first thing that

where Li you come the first thing that comes to my mind is the reef the forest

comes to my mind is the reef the forest

comes to my mind is the reef the forest the corals the fish then maybe that is

the corals the fish then maybe that is

the corals the fish then maybe that is what it is maybe that’s who I am

what it is maybe that’s who I am

what it is maybe that’s who I am generation after generation has passed

generation after generation has passed

generation after generation has passed down this way of life when and where to

down this way of life when and where to

down this way of life when and where to plant

plant

plant to fish and most importantly when and

to fish and most importantly when and

to fish and most importantly when and where not to fish it that was a little

where not to fish it that was a little

where not to fish it that was a little bit about the board that the traditional

bit about the board that the traditional

bit about the board that the traditional way of conserving our ancestors had

way of conserving our ancestors had

way of conserving our ancestors had always known that if you fish in a

always known that if you fish in a

always known that if you fish in a certain part of the reef and you do it

certain part of the reef and you do it

certain part of the reef and you do it so often then you you will affect the

so often then you you will affect the

so often then you you will affect the population of the fish and that

population of the fish and that

population of the fish and that particular refund so over the years they

particular refund so over the years they

particular refund so over the years they would do a pool which is like a

would do a pool which is like a

would do a pool which is like a prohibition or a no take and they would

prohibition or a no take and they would

prohibition or a no take and they would say stop fishing and this particular

say stop fishing and this particular

say stop fishing and this particular area and everybody goes to other part of

area and everybody goes to other part of

area and everybody goes to other part of the river and they found out that by

the river and they found out that by

the river and they found out that by doing that the marine life finds a space

doing that the marine life finds a space

doing that the marine life finds a space for them to rehabilitate themselves to

for them to rehabilitate themselves to

for them to rehabilitate themselves to regenerate so it’s all a balanced way of

regenerate so it’s all a balanced way of

regenerate so it’s all a balanced way of making sure that the fish population and

making sure that the fish population and

making sure that the fish population and the marine life survives

National Geographic pristine seas is

National Geographic pristine seas is here to survey Palace waters in assess

here to survey Palace waters in assess

here to survey Palace waters in assess the health of this critically important

the health of this critically important

the health of this critically important ecosystem we have come to work with the

ecosystem we have come to work with the

ecosystem we have come to work with the Palau international coral reef center

Palau international coral reef center

Palau international coral reef center and plowin scientist to evaluate what

and plowin scientist to evaluate what

and plowin scientist to evaluate what has been the impact of these marine

has been the impact of these marine

has been the impact of these marine protected areas on the reefs across the

protected areas on the reefs across the

protected areas on the reefs across the country and also to survey for the first

country and also to survey for the first

country and also to survey for the first time what’s out there in the open ocean

Palau is very survival and it will

Palau is very survival and it will depends on a healthy ocean

and the data we gather will be essential

and the data we gather will be essential as they fight to protect this

as they fight to protect this

as they fight to protect this environment like their ancestors did

during the incoming tide the water comes

during the incoming tide the water comes from outside of the reef into the lagoon

from outside of the reef into the lagoon

from outside of the reef into the lagoon and there are a few channels where the

and there are a few channels where the

and there are a few channels where the nutrients and the food accumulates there

nutrients and the food accumulates there

nutrients and the food accumulates there is so much food that all this little

is so much food that all this little

is so much food that all this little fish aggregate to eat and this is what

fish aggregate to eat and this is what

fish aggregate to eat and this is what creates the bait ball

and it felt like being in a pot of

and it felt like being in a pot of boiling water there was so much activity

boiling water there was so much activity

boiling water there was so much activity the water was vibrating

and then the manta rays came manta ray

and then the manta rays came manta ray is one of the most beautiful animals in

is one of the most beautiful animals in

is one of the most beautiful animals in the ocean

three meter wingspan moving its wings

three meter wingspan moving its wings majestically

we have done thousands of diets all

we have done thousands of diets all around the world in some of the most

around the world in some of the most

around the world in some of the most pristine areas but in few places we have

pristine areas but in few places we have

pristine areas but in few places we have seen what we have seen here the German

seen what we have seen here the German

seen what we have seen here the German channel has a resilient history in

channel has a resilient history in

channel has a resilient history in humans are an important part of the

humans are an important part of the

humans are an important part of the equation whether through the Micronesian

equation whether through the Micronesian

equation whether through the Micronesian challenge or banning bottom trawling and

challenge or banning bottom trawling and

challenge or banning bottom trawling and shark fishing Palau has been a global

shark fishing Palau has been a global

shark fishing Palau has been a global conservation leader I will work to

conservation leader I will work to

conservation leader I will work to declare Palau swatters closed to

declare Palau swatters closed to

declare Palau swatters closed to commercial fishing and make our 200

commercial fishing and make our 200

commercial fishing and make our 200 miles easy a Marine Sanctuary

meets a battle worth fighting

meets a battle worth fighting look at this pulao is still absolutely

look at this pulao is still absolutely

look at this pulao is still absolutely pristine this is like a dream in like

pristine this is like a dream in like

pristine this is like a dream in like Jurassic Park we have never seen a place

Jurassic Park we have never seen a place

Jurassic Park we have never seen a place like blaow where you have such a

like blaow where you have such a

like blaow where you have such a concentration of natural wonders in such

concentration of natural wonders in such

concentration of natural wonders in such a small area we depend so much on the

a small area we depend so much on the

a small area we depend so much on the ocean depend so much on the environment

ocean depend so much on the environment

ocean depend so much on the environment and so if you want to survive as a

and so if you want to survive as a

and so if you want to survive as a people as a culture and as a small

people as a culture and as a small

people as a culture and as a small island nation then we have to be driven

island nation then we have to be driven

island nation then we have to be driven to protect the mother goose that laid

to protect the mother goose that laid

to protect the mother goose that laid the golden egg by surveying the

the golden egg by surveying the

the golden egg by surveying the mid-water environment the sea floor

and the reefs we get an accurate picture

and the reefs we get an accurate picture of Palau sand entire marine ecosystem

of Palau sand entire marine ecosystem

of Palau sand entire marine ecosystem and the data that we have collected

and the data that we have collected

and the data that we have collected presents a rather simple reality

the bull system works what we’ve seen is

the bull system works what we’ve seen is that these protected areas have done

that these protected areas have done

that these protected areas have done incredibly well and and served many of

incredibly well and and served many of

incredibly well and and served many of the goals they were intended to on

the goals they were intended to on

the goals they were intended to on average these sites have doubled the

average these sites have doubled the

average these sites have doubled the biomass of unprotected areas in five

biomass of unprotected areas in five

biomass of unprotected areas in five times as many top predators which are

times as many top predators which are

times as many top predators which are critically important to marine

critically important to marine

critically important to marine ecosystems the Hunter region is good for

ecosystems the Hunter region is good for

ecosystems the Hunter region is good for government good for tourism good for

government good for tourism good for

government good for tourism good for local people and good for everyone

local people and good for everyone

local people and good for everyone because they have fish to it we have to

because they have fish to it we have to

because they have fish to it we have to love it take care of it and survive for

love it take care of it and survive for

love it take care of it and survive for me

after decades of outside control Paula

after decades of outside control Paula ones now celebrate their independence

community began to believe that the

community began to believe that the answer is gonna come from outside but I

answer is gonna come from outside but I

answer is gonna come from outside but I think we have turned that around but

think we have turned that around but

think we have turned that around but they know that the answer is not coming

they know that the answer is not coming

they know that the answer is not coming from outside it’s going to be within

from outside it’s going to be within

from outside it’s going to be within it’s an answer they already have me

it’s an answer they already have me

it’s an answer they already have me the future is in their past

in reconnecting with the traditions of

in reconnecting with the traditions of their ancestors

in restoring the balance to this

in restoring the balance to this one-of-a-kind environment I return

one-of-a-kind environment I return

one-of-a-kind environment I return to paradise