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4 mins
Polynesia: initiatives are increasing to protect the environment
Polynesia: initiatives are increasing to protect the environment – (France 2)
Objective: to preserve the tranquility of the whales from human impact. This is the message displayed by the environment department, which issues an exemption each year to be able to observe them in Polynesian waters. A tourist and scientific obsession.
Behind the wild mountains, crisscrossing the azure depths, Teanui Matehau’s boat crosses the landscape every day. His job is unique: coral gardener. If the former supermarket cashier decided to devote his time to it, it is because his island is dying. As a result of warming, the seabed is turning white, scaring away marine animals. More than 30,000 corals have been installed by his association. First in the form of cuttings.
Whale protection and major clean-up
Charles Mars scans the waves, on a ferry next to the captain. Its mission: to locate and protect whales to avoid collision. Every year, several hundred Antarctic humpback whales migrate between April and November to breed and give birth. The opportunity to approach them, see them and listen to them. The final approach of a singing male is done with flippers, in silence, to be able to admire this giant of around fifteen meters and more than 30 tons. The Océania association has seen the number of whales increase.
Others decided to go to the beaches for big cleaning sessions. High school students responded to a call on social networks. Since 2006, hundreds of tons of waste have been collected. If initiatives to protect biodiversity and clean up water are increasing, it is because the Pacific Ocean remains the main pantry of the Polynesians. On average, they consume nearly 54 kg of fish per year per person, three times more than the world average.