episode description
Half way between New Zealand and Tonga, the volcanic Kermadec Islands rise dramatically from the depths. The only land for a thousand kilometres, they’re like an oasis in a desert. Underwater caves provide refuge for an enormous spotted black grouper, who presides over the subtropical reef with stern authority and a flashy colour-change technique. Comical Tasman boobies nest on exposed cliffs, racing to raise their chicks during a bountiful spring plankton bloom, whilst mother humpback whales stop off so their new-born calves can rest during their long journey to Antarctica. But with a thriving population of Galapagos and other sharks, the Kermadec Islands are far from safe… Our Big Blue Backyard: Kermadec Islands connects the colourful lives of the reef residents as they feed, breed and flourish during the short window of the spring bloom extravaganza.
