Science and Nature

Islands of Wonder

Journey to three of the most exotic, mysterious and remote islands on the planet: Madagascar, Borneo and Hawaii. Isolated from the rest of the world, they harbor remarkable wildlife and pioneering human communities found nowhere else on Earth.

Hawaii

54m 39s

Hawaii, the most remote island chain on Earth, offers sanctuary for wildlife that has reached its tropical shores. From humpback whales to waterfall-climbing fish, it’s home to an extraordinary wealth of wildlife.

Episodes

  • Hawaii: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Hawaii

    S1 E3 - 54m 39s

    Hawaii, the most remote island chain on Earth, offers sanctuary for wildlife that has reached its tropical shores. From humpback whales to waterfall-climbing fish, it’s home to an extraordinary wealth of wildlife.

  • Borneo: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Borneo

    S1 E2 - 54m 39s

    Borneo, the third largest island on Earth, may seem like a paradise but its harsh landscape proves a struggle to survive. These challenges allow the island to host a greater diversity of life than almost any other island.

  • Madagascar: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Madagascar

    S1 E1 - 54m 40s

    The oldest island on Earth, Madagascar has been isolated longer than any other place in the world. Life here has had time to evolve in unusual ways, resulting in more unique wildlife than possibly any other island on the planet.

Extras + Features

  • The Gobies’ Ascent to Safety: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Gobies’ Ascent to Safety

    S1 E3 - 2m 37s

    Hawaii’s upland rivers provide a safe haven from predators for young gobies while also acting as a resource for food. To access these waters, gobies must face a treacherous climb, pulling themselves up an enormous waterfall using the suction from their mouths and fins. The journey can take days and around 99 percent of these tiny fish perish before they reach the top.

  • A Race to Honor Hawaii’s Ancestors: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    A Race to Honor Hawaii’s Ancestors

    S1 E3 - 4m 17s

    In honor of their seafaring ancestors, Hawaii hosts one of the world’s biggest canoe races every year, the Na Wahine O Ke Kai or “Women of the Sea.” The teams race across 42 miles of open ocean from the island of Molokai to Oahu, where they finish at the shores of Oahu’s capital city, Honolulu.

  • Episode 3 Preview | Hawaii: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Episode 3 Preview | Hawaii

    S1 E3 - 30s

    Hawaii, the most remote island chain on Earth, offers sanctuary for wildlife that has reached its tropical shores. From humpback whales to waterfall-climbing fish, it’s home to an extraordinary wealth of wildlife.

  • The Return of the White Tern: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Return of the White Tern

    S1 E3 - 2m 12s

    White terns were once revered by the ancient Polynesians who believed that the sight of this bird with a bill full of fish was a sign of nearby land. Though it’s believed that the arrival of humans resulted in the near extinction of this animal, in the last 60 years their numbers have risen from a single pair to over 2,000 birds across Honolulu.

  • How Fishermen Recycle the Trash Polluting Borneo’s Shores: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    How Fishermen Recycle the Trash Polluting Borneo’s Shores

    S1 E2 - 3m 49s

    Traditional fishermen Rajamil Wali and his son Pidel walk along Borneo’s shores collecting the trash that washes up from the ocean. Melting down the plastic they find, their handmade fishing lures are shaped like blue crabs. The key is to create a convincing crab both in appearance and movement to attract fish and octopus that will help feed their family.

  • Episode 2 Preview | Borneo: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Episode 2 Preview | Borneo

    S1 E2 - 30s

    Borneo, the third largest island on Earth, may seem like a paradise but its harsh landscape proves a struggle to survive. These challenges allow the island to host a greater diversity of life than almost any other island.

  • Indah the Orangutan and Her Treatment for Arthritis: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Indah the Orangutan and Her Treatment for Arthritis

    S1 E2 - 2m 47s

    Twentinolosa spends almost every day with the orangutans that dwell in the canopies of Borneo’s rainforests. After following orangutan mother Indah for 14 years, he and his fellow researchers have made a remarkable discovery, learning that orangutans self-medicate with a medicinal paste made of leaves that they spread across aching joints.

  • The Sea Nomads of Borneo: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Sea Nomads of Borneo

    S1 E2 - 1m 51s

    On Borneo’s coast, the Bajau Laut spend much of their day hunting underwater. A tradition carried on from generations past, their bodies have adapted to these long days of diving. Their spleens are 50% larger than average, thought to provide their blood with more oxygen, and they can hold their breath underwater for over three minutes – longer than almost any other human.

  • The Baobab Tree: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Baobab Tree

    S1 E1 - 3m 47s

    In the village of Ampotaka, the dry season can last several months. In order to survive, its residents rely on the neighboring baobab trees passed on by their ancestors. When hollowed out, their trunks act as tanks to store water collected from the brief rains and can naturally hold over 20,000 gallons of water within their structures.

  • Lemurs Navigate the Grand Tsingy: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Lemurs Navigate the Grand Tsingy

    S1 E1 - 3m 47s

    The Grand Tsingy is home to over 500 square miles of sharp, limestone pinnacles, towering over 400 feet. The area’s deep ravines hold moisture and create pockets of fresh vegetation sought after by the Decken’s sifaka. With thick, rubbery soles and the ability to jump up to 30 feet, this species of lemur is able to cross the miles of exposed rock to feed themselves and their young.

  • Ring-Tailed Lemurs Battle Tough Terrain Searching for Food: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Ring-Tailed Lemurs Battle Tough Terrain Searching for Food

    S1 E1 - 2m 2s

    In the spiny forests of Madagascar, ring-tailed lemur troops might spend up to eight hours a day looking for food. The hostile environment is home to the euphorbia plant, which produces a sticky sap rich in fat. While the sap is known to burn human skin, ring-tailed lemurs have adapted to resist its corrosive powers, and it now acts as a major food source for this species.

  • The History Hidden in Madagascar’s Underwater Caves: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The History Hidden in Madagascar’s Underwater Caves

    S1 E1 - 3m 6s

    In Madagascar’s remote western desert, divers explore a hidden pool of water. Over 160 feet below the surface, this incredible underworld opens to over seven miles of connected tunnels and some of the largest underwater chambers in the world. Within these caves lies a graveyard carrying remains of now-extinct animals in Madagascar, including a lemur that once grew to the size of a gorilla.

Schedule

WETA Passport

Stream tens of thousands of hours of your PBS and local favorites with WETA Passport whenever and wherever you want. Catch up on a single episode or binge-watch full seasons before they air on TV.

Similar Shows