Podcasts about Rarotonga

Rarotonga is as popular as it's ever been for tourists but with more people comes more strain on the environment and infrastructure. Caleb Fotheringham reports.

Kia ora,Welcome to Thursday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand.I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz.And today we lead with news in search of short-term riches, the Cook Islands is establishing itself as a haven base for deep sea mining, it be used by both great powers.But first, American mortgage applications rose last week with a modest +3.1% gain from the prior week attributed to a small fall in benchmark mortgage interest rates. It was the stronger +5% refinance activity that drove the modest gain rather than new home purchases.Those benchmark rates may keep falling. There was slightly softer demand for the latest overnight US Treasury 10yr Note auction, but the resulting median yield came in at 4.20%, down from 4.31% at the prior equivalent event a month ago. However the yield is up on more recent levels.Separately, the NY Fed monitoring of global supply chain pressure eased again in July.In Canada, they are seeing residential real estate markets operating like we see here. For example Toronto sales transactions are rising (+13% in July from a year ago), but prices falling (-5.4% on the same basis).The Reserve Bank of India kept its key policy rate at 5.50% during its August meeting, now holding a neutral stance, following a larger-than-expected -50 bps decrease in June. There were no surprises here and the rate remains at its lowest level since August 2022. Easing inflation and the recent US tariff challenges were key considerations.Meanwhile, the US has doubled its tariffs on India to 50% as 'punishment' for buying Russian oil. Interestingly it has boosted Modi's standing at home in India and brought bi-partisan support for him in resisting the US.In China, they have brought in a ¥3,600 yuan (NZ$845) per year child care subsidy for under threes, designed to boost household consumption and ease pressure on family budgets. Encouraging childbirth is probably the core motivation for this subsidy. It is just another is a broadening range of consumer subsidies China is rolling out to support its economy and build domestic demand.EU retail sales volumes impressed in an overnight data release for June. They were up +3.1% on a volume basis, the best increase since September 2024. German gains were particularly strong, up +4.8% on the same volume basis.But new German factory orders again disappointed in June, down -1.0% in volume terms. Although this was twisted by some lumpy 'large' orders. Excluding those, the change is a gain of +0.5% in volume terms. (Large-scale items include aircraft, ships, trains, military vehicles).Australia said living costs rose for all type of households in June. Over the past year, all LCIs rose between +1.7% and +3.1%, slowing from annual rises of between +2.4% and +3.5% to the March 2025 quarter. In the South Pacific, the Cook Islands is becoming a renegade state. Its deal with China allows the Chinese to use it as a base for deep sea mining. Now the US is keen to use it in the same way. These great powers see “one of the most promising regions for deep-sea mineral deposits.” These nations are keen to plunder as far away from themselves as possible.The UST 10yr yield is now at 4.22%, up +2 bps from yesterday. The price of gold will start today at US$3,374/oz, down -US$5 from yesterday.American oil prices have slipped back again, down another -50 USc to just under US$65/bbl with the international Brent price holding at just over US$67.50/bbl.The Kiwi dollar is at 59.4 USc and up +40 bps from yesterday. Against the Aussie we are unchanged at 91.3 AUc. Against the euro we are also unchanged at 51 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at just on 67.1, up +20 bps.The bitcoin price started today at US$115,465 and up +1.6% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been low at just under +/-0.9%.You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz.Kia ora. I'm David Chaston. And we will do this again tomorrow.

The leader of the Cook Islands opposition wants her country to be more self-sufficient but has no desire to be independent from New Zealand. Tuesday marks 60 years of Cook Islands self-governance in free association with New Zealand, and Rarotonga is busy celebrating. Caleb Fotheringham reports.

People living in the Cook Islands outer islands or Pa Enua have flocked to Rarotonga to celebrate 60 years of self-governance. Caleb Fotheringham reports.

From 9th June, the United Nations Ocean Conference is being held in France, which is co-hosting the event with Costa Rica. More than 50 world leaders are expected to attend, with 1500 delegates from almost 200 countries.  The conference follows the world's first deep-sea mining application for the international seabed, which was submitted to the United States government as opposed to the United Nations regulator. Wire Host Caeden spoke to Juressa Lee (Te Rarawa, Ngāpuhi, Rarotonga), seabed mining campaigner at Greenpeace, about the conference. 

Why does it cost so much to travel to New Zealand's smaller regions? Palmerston North flying one-way to Dunedin this Saturday costs $650. To fly to Brisbane, it is actually a tad more expensive to fly across the Tasman at $1000 one-way. Heading from Palmerston North to the sunny shores of Rarotonga is $30 cheaper than going to Dunedin at $623 and Nadi even better $416. So what would it take for our smaller operators to be more competitive? NZ Airports Association chief executive Billie Moore spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

In Pacific Waves today: US government ordered to release funding for Radio Free Asia; Environmental group 'disappointed' over Trump's fishing order; Systemic issues in Solomon Islands election process affect public trust; Dead turtles on Rarotonga's beaches raises alarms. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 19th of February, a few questions are asked: What will the Reserve Bank do with the OCR? How did the peace talks between Russia and the US in Riyadh go? And what are the findings of the shocking report into the public service? The IPCA want a law change so police can better deal with protests that get out of hand. Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell talk Debbie Ngarewa-Packer in Rarotonga and the Brian Roche report on Politics Wednesday. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's controversy over a New Zealand MP taking part in an anti-government protest in the Cook Islands. Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer has taken part in a rally against Mark Brown's government over its new strategic partnership with China. The deal will see the countries cooperate more on trade, investment, and tourism, with China providing a $4 million grant for future projects. Labour's Ginny Andersen told Mike Hosking it's not something she would do, but different things do it for different people. She says that if she wants do go and do that and she's not breaking the law, then alright. National's Mark Mitchell agreed, saying that if he was travelling on personal business he wouldn't join a protest or interfere with the internal matters, but Ngarewa-Packer has chosen to inject herself into this situation, and that's up to her. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Cook Islands Prime Minister is hoping to have an opportunity to talk with the New Zealand government to heal some of the rift from his China trip. Mark Brown returned to Avarua on Monday afternoon following his week-long state visit where he signed a "comprehensive strategic partnership" to boost his nation's relationship with Beijing. Prior to signing the deal, he said that there was "no need for New Zealand to sit in the room with us" after the New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister raised concerns about the agreement. Caleb Fotheringham reports from Rarotonga.

On today's episode, the head of the European Commission says the continent's security is at a turning point, as key European leaders have been meeting to discuss the United States' direct negotiations with Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, the Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown returned to Rarotonga on Monday afternoon promising the agreement with Beijing will be made public "very shortly", Christchurch Hospital's emergency department is asking people to stay away unless they have life threatening condition, as it struggles to cope with an influx of patients, and after a huge year in sport, tonight's Halberg Awards are considered to be one of the most competitive in recent memory.

The Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown returned to Rarotonga on Monday afternoon promising the agreement with Beijing will be made public "very shortly". RNZ Pacific's Caleb Fotheringham is Rarotonga and he spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown is on his way back to Rarotonga after signing an agreement with China yesterday which has concerned our Deputy Prime Minister. Meanwhile a protest is being planned in the Cook Islands.

Holidays to Rarotonga, free TVs and even cold-hard cash have all been used as extra incentives by banks to try and win people over when it comes to mortgages. Now, it looks like some property developers could be taking a leaf out of the banks books and doing the same. Property developers in some areas are having so much trouble shifting stock, that some have started to offer incentives like cars, whitewares vouchers, cash and even mortgage payments to potential buyers. Money correspondent Susan Edmunds spoke to Lisa Owen.

Some Cook Islanders think New Zealand has been acting like a bully over the Cook Islands-China deal set to be signed this week by Prime Minister Mark Brown in Beijing. Caleb Fotheringham reports from Rarotonga.

The news that Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown is heading to China today on the country's first state visit, where he's expected to sign a comprehensive strategic partnership with China, has come as news to our Foreign Minister, news to our government, and indeed news to some of the Cook Island people. The excellent Barbara Dreaver on 1News broke the story on Wednesday night. As she reported, the impending visit has taken the Beehive by surprise, as it's a potential breach of constitutional arrangements between the Cook Islands and Aotearoa New Zealand. This year the Cook Islands celebrate 60 years of self-governance in free association with New Zealand. That means that they're free to make their own moves on policies and partnerships at home and abroad, while enjoying the benefits of a New Zealand passport and citizenship, plus substantial investment and aid. But with any perks come responsibilities under the long-standing agreement. The nations must cooperate and consult on any issues of defence and security, and they have to advise each other of any risks to either state. And it would appear that the detail of the arrangements has not happened in this particular case, according to Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters, who spoke to Mike Hosking this morning: “I believe they've got all these other things about beliefs, principles, freedom, human rights – these are fundamentals that the Cook Islands people are also concerned about, as they are around the Pacific. They need to know what's happening here and as a consequence, when they make a decision, then they should be free to make it, but they have to be free to make it in the circumstances of the commitments that we made going back to Helen Clark's time and going back to 1901, where we just discuss and consult, that's where we are now. I can assure you that the New Zealand government has done its best to find out what's going on, and to say this has been discussed with us is absurdly not true.” So the government's been blindsided, and it appears the Cook Islands people themselves have been blindsided. A protest has been planned on Parliament's first sitting of the year in Rarotonga on February 17th. Some locals told Barbara Dreaver that they fear losing the special relationship they have with New Zealand, and that will happen if the Cooks Prime Minister Mark Brown pushes ahead with his intention for them to have its own passport. New Zealand's ruled out a dual passport arrangement. 1News understands that if the Cook Islands went ahead with its own passport, anyone who applied for a Cook Islands passport would be treated as having renounced their New Zealand one. The Cook Islands, of course, are perfectly free to make their own arrangements, but so too are we. If you want your own passport, that's absolutely fine, but you don't get to have a dual passport arrangement with New Zealand. They're also perfectly free to trade with China. We do. Brown was adamant the Cook Islands Government could go ahead with its own passport and still stay within the free association with New Zealand. He said the Cook Islands needed more development partners such as China, and the Islands already more than pulled its weight with New Zealand. Okay, that's his opinion. But there's two people in a relationship, and clearly Winston Peters and New Zealand feels a bit differently. If New Zealand doesn't think the Cook Islands are operating within the obligations of the agreement, there will be consequences. So they're perfectly free to make their own decisions, and we are perfectly free to respond. If it comes to a bidding war, we will always lose to China. If it comes to who can put more money into the Pacific, it's China, every single time. But when it comes to cultural connectedness, history and family, that's where New Zealand has the advantage. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Climate change is intensifying, sea levels are rising and the very existence of low-lying Pacific Islands is under threat. The Cook Islands, though, has a plan to assure their peoples' future. Enter deep sea mining, harvesting metallic nodules on the bottom of the sea floor for use in things like electric car batteries and mobile phones. Its supporters say it's a climate change ‘solution'- a better alternative to mining on land. And one that could make Cook Islanders very rich indeed. Its detractors worry we're messing with its Moana - or ocean – with no real idea of the impacts. Katy Watson travels to Rarotonga to find out how islanders feel about searching for ‘gold' on the sea floor.

Climate change is intensifying, sea levels are rising and the very existence of low-lying Pacific Islands is under threat. The Cook Islands, though, has a plan to assure their peoples' future. Enter deep sea mining, harvesting metallic nodules on the bottom of the sea floor for use in things like electric car batteries and mobile phones. Its supporters say it's a climate change ‘solution'- a better alternative to mining on land. And one that could make Cook Islanders very rich indeed. Its detractors worry we're messing with its Moana - or ocean – with no real idea of the impacts. Katy Watson travels to Rarotonga to find out how islanders feel about searching for ‘gold' on the sea floor.Producer: Lindle Markwell Presenter: Katy Watson Studio Manager: James Beard Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman Editor: Penny Murphy

In Pacific Waves today: Tonga no confidence motion 'par for the course'- Kalafi Moala; Water tariff on Rarotonga breaches historic agreement - campaigner; A new generation of leaders emerge from New Caledonia violence; NZ celebrates first ever Solomon Islands language week. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Zachary Cargill preaches a challenging message about standing up for righteousness and being engaged in the unseen battle for the soul of our nation. The Cook Islands needs the power of God to come and touch lives, heal hearts and set people free! But unless the Church stands up, confronts wickedness and speaks the truth, the kingdom of darkness will continue to thrive. It is time for the church to take its place!• • • • •Our heart at Celebration Church Rarotonga is that this message will greatly bless your walk with Jesus and help bring you closer to Him. We pray that you would be stirred to live a life that is passionate about loving Jesus!We would love to hear from you! Connect with us through the links below:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/celebrationraroInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/celebrationchurch_rarotonga/Website: https://www.celebrationrarotonga.com/

In Pacific Waves today: University of the South Pacific staff are on strike, calling for the removal of Vice-Chancellor Pal Ahluwalia; Susana Suisuiki is in Samoa for CHOGM and shares what leaders, dignitaries and locals in Apia are saying ahead of King Charles III visit on Friday; This week New Caledonia, torn apart by violent riots over the past five months is to receive a high level Pacific Islands Forum fact finding mission; Pasifika Opera singers say there is a demand for Polynesian talent in the prestigious art form following a two night show in Rarotonga.

BloggerAtLarge.com writer Megan Singleton's gotten back from Rarotonga - and she's got some recommendations for prospective travellers looking to explore the region. She's outlined her favourite restaurants, her tips for dealing with unpredictable weather - and shared her top spot to go snorkelling with the turtles. Read more about Megan's experience in Rarotonga here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Pacific Waves today: A high-profile Cook Islands inmate has been caught having breakfast at a popular Rarotonga cafe in the middle of her 18 month prison sentence; The vice president of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua has called on Pacific leaders to talanoa with them before engaging with Indonesia; New Zealand's Mental Health Minister says the same approach to suicide prevention for Pasifika may not work for other New Zealanders; The residents of the Tonga island group of Vava'u, are promising to honour the late Maori King's call for whales to be given personhood.

A high-profile Cook Islands inmate has been caught having breakfast at a popular Rarotonga cafe in the middle of her 18 month prison sentence. Convicted fraudster Diane Charlie-Puna, was supposed to be on the prison's work release programme for the day when she was spotted, and as Caleb Fotheringham reports, the leader of one of Cook Islands' opposition parties says it's not the first time something like this has happened.

On today's podcast, we are joined by Big Horns for a live performance. Our Air Flava Now Boarding winners Sarah & Cory are going to.... RAROTONGA! Plus, Charlie's kids have made a big call when it comes to playing league. For more, follow our socials: Instagram: Flava Radio Facebook: Flava Radio Tik Tok: Flava RadioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Esta noche, te transportamos a una epoca clasica de nuestro mexico, una epoca singular que nuestros padres o nuestros abuelos recordaran como una época de descubrimiento y cambios en la sociedad… y esta noche te contaremos sobre una actriz, bailarina y vedette, que fue considerada como la mas famosa, la mas atrevida, y una de las mas guapas #Gloriella

PNG Prime Minister stays positive amid motion of no confidence; New Caledonia's nickel industry is once again under the spotlight with one of its mines set to be mothballed in the coming days; Rarotonga's head nurse calls on NZ govt to help with staff shortages; Shipping industry urged to reduce emissions through proposed levy.

Keeping the Pacific nuclear-free, in line with the Rarotonga treaty, was a recurring theme from the leaders of Tonga, Cook Islands and Samoa to New Zealand's Pacific Mission. Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Health and Pacific Peoples Minister Shane Reti are back in Aotearoa after a whirlwind trip last week of three nations in three days. The New Zealand ministers reiterated to Pacific leaders that they care about the region and were indicating their support by visiting in the first 50 days of the new government. RNZ Pacific's Eleisha Foon covered the tour.

Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and the Minster for Health and Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti are in Rarotonga on Thursday as part of their Pacific region tour. It is Peters' second trip to the region after he visited Fiji in December where he met with the Fijian Prime Minister and Pacific Islands Forum Secretary-General Henry Puna. Taking on three countries in three days, the first leg of the trip began in Tonga, then the Cook Islands, and finally Samoa. Their visit is aimed at reinforcing Aotearoa's ties with the Pacific. RNZ Pacific's Eleisha Foon spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

In this episode, we sat down with artist Benjamin Work. Raised in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland, NZ) and of Tongan and Scottish ancestry, Benjamin shares his experiences of connecting with his Tongan heritage and shares knowledge of ancient Tonga and its neighbouring islands. His 2022 exhibition and book ‘Motutapu' (sacred island), looked into the shared history throughout the Moana - including Tāmaki Makaurau, Tongatapu and Rarotonga, some of which he shares in this episode. The Moanan is not just an educational platform but an online community — connecting diasporas all over the world. We'd love to connect!Find us on all podcast streaming and social media platforms — including Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.Email: hello@themoanan.com

A project led by Cook Islands environmentalist Alanna Smith, is taking advantage of an anatomical quirk to track turtles' movements around her home country of Rarotonga. The director of NGO Ipukarea Society is utilising AI facial recognition software to identify turtles by their facial patterns - which are unique, like fingerprints. She joins Susie Ferguson to talk about this citizen science project, which has been running for a year.

A family from the far north has travelled to Rarotonga as they fight to preserve their language learn more about their ancestors. Ngā Tamariki Mānihera is a music performance group. They homeschool their kids who speak fluent Te Reo Maori. Lydia Lewis caught up with them while they were in Rarotonga.

Tensions have been running high at the Pacific Island's Forum being held in the Cook Islands. Nauru's president David Adeang walked out of a leaders' meeting in Rarotonga and did not attend the Leaders Retreat today in Aitutaki instead returning home early this morning. It's understood he left after questions were raised about the nomination of Nauru's former president Baron Waqa to be the Forum's next Secretary-General. Joining us to discuss this year's Pacific Islands Forum is Dr Anna Powles, from Massey University's Centre for Defence and Security. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6340842699112

While the nation waits for the next Government to be formed, important events are either underway or coming up and New Zealand risks not having a voice, or at least one that is clear and commanding. The Pacific Islands Forum is happening right now in Rarotonga, and while caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni and National's representative, Gerry Brownlee are there, Sepuloni herself has conceded she doesn't have the discretion to make decisions on the fly. The next big event is APEC next week. World leaders including Joe Biden and Xi Jinping are expected there. Winston Peters says it is 'seriously important' that we are, but the question is, who will go? Executive Director of the New Zealand Business Forum and APEC Business Advisory Council, Stephen Jacobi speaks to Susana Lei'ataua. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6340780043112

Pacific leaders are meeting for their retreat on the island of Aitutaki on the third day of the Pacific Islands Forum. There is much for the leaders to discuss, including climate change, regional security and economic development. The leaders are also meeting as a cloud hangs over the forum regarding the controversial figure nominated to be its next Secretary General. RNZ Pacific's Eleisha Foon is in Rarotonga.

Ae foliga mai ua iai ni 'aisi i le maopoopoga o le Forum ina ua le auai iai ta'ita'i o Papua Niu Kini, Vanuatu ma le atu Solomona. O le mata'upu o loo le maua iai se finagalo 'autasi o atunu'u o le Pacific Islands Forum, o le sa'olotoga e feutaga'i ai maliega ma le faigamalo i Saina.

وصل رئيس الوزراء أنتوني البانيزي أمس الى Rarotonga عاصمة جزر كوك للمشاركة في منتدى زعماء جزر الباسيفيك الذي سيناقش مجموعة واسعة من التحديات تتراوح بين المشاكل المتعلقة بالتغيرات المناخية، و الامن الاقليمي و التطور الاقتصادي.

The opening ceremony of the 52nd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Summit is underway in the Cook Islands. Leaders and high level delegations from 18 member states are there with the US and China also attending. Lydia Lewis speaks to Lisa Owen from Rarotonga. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6340651823112

"I remember years ago, my Ph.D. advisor had asked me, 'How do you get such incredible footage of the whales and get them to stay with you?' So I said, 'unconditional love.' It's this whole sort of intuitive thing. And I can say this very comfortably as a scientist because it makes sense for anybody who works with these animals or any animals. And when you trust them, you emit this unconditional love, and they pick up on that, and they are going to respond. Believe me, every species of cetacean has its vibration, personality, and habits. And I'm just so fascinated by humpbacks and their beauty and their acrobatic abilities and their level of consciousness.Whales communicate with you constantly. It's like you have this relationship with them that you don't even have to use words. So it's reflections of the beauty and the wonder of the natural world, but it's also a reflection of the beauty of ourselves and nature and wildlife, and it's like awakening to to your true self."Nan Hauser is the President and Director of the Center for Cetacean Research & Conservation and the Director and Principal Investigator of Cook Islands Whale Research. Currently she's in the field studying the migration of the Southern Humpback Whale population that is currently passing through the Cook Islands, where she resides on the main island of Rarotonga. Her research includes population identity and abundance, acoustics, genetics stable isotopes behavior, and the navigation of cetaceans.https://whaleresearch.orghttps://whaleresearch.org/saved-by-a-whalewww.creativeprocess.infowww.oneplanetpodcast.orgIG www.instagram.com/creativeprocesspodcast

"I don't think a lot of people realize how absolutely important whales are, and not just because they're beautiful and they make people happy, but whales carry nutrients from the depths they feed back to the surface. And there's this liquidy plume of fecal matter, and it's called the whale pump. And they bring all these nutrients upward with their tails by swimming up and down the water column, it's like an upward biological pump. And there's an incredible amount of nitrogen that's released in these plumes. And we get this great soup of nutrients. We get more from this nitrogen than all the rivers combined. And in the past, we recognized microbes and plankton and fish and that they recycled nutrients in the ocean, yet whales and other marine mammals have largely been overlooked and that's too bad because they are bioengineers. They help the climate so much because of all this creates more plankton by circulating the nutrients and fertilizing the phytoplankton with their poo. For instance, sperm whales alone in the Southern Ocean help sequester over 19 million trees worth of carbon. They are bioengineers of their ecosystems and our ecosystems too. They promote the growth of phytoplankton, which absorbs carbon. So, if we just leave them alone, that could be an incredible solution for us to help with the mess we've made. And there's also the whole thing about the whale fall. When a whale dies and the crabs and the worms and the clams and everything start to eat it, the whale carcass itself transports about 190,000 tons of carbon. That's what is produced by about 80,000 cars every year. So when you think about saving the whales, you're thinking about saving the planet and people, whether it's your family or your grandchildren or your great-grandchildren or whatever. This is a really big issue for me because I have nine grandchildren, and I worry about what we are leaving them because we are leaving them a big mess. We need to think beyond immediate results and consider the next steps and the consequences. And I think we tend to forget to do that because otherwise, they're going to get stuck with it."Nan Hauser is the President and Director of the Center for Cetacean Research & Conservation and the Director and Principal Investigator of Cook Islands Whale Research. Currently she's in the field studying the migration of the Southern Humpback Whale population that is currently passing through the Cook Islands, where she resides on the main island of Rarotonga. Her research includes population identity and abundance, acoustics, genetics stable isotopes behavior, and the navigation of cetaceans.https://whaleresearch.orghttps://whaleresearch.org/saved-by-a-whalewww.creativeprocess.infowww.oneplanetpodcast.orgIG www.instagram.com/creativeprocesspodcast

"I don't think a lot of people realize how absolutely important whales are, and not just because they're beautiful and they make people happy, but whales carry nutrients from the depths they feed back to the surface. And there's this liquidy plume of fecal matter, and it's called the whale pump. And they bring all these nutrients upward with their tails by swimming up and down the water column, it's like an upward biological pump. And there's an incredible amount of nitrogen that's released in these plumes. And we get this great soup of nutrients. We get more from this nitrogen than all the rivers combined. And in the past, we recognized microbes and plankton and fish and that they recycled nutrients in the ocean, yet whales and other marine mammals have largely been overlooked and that's too bad because they are bioengineers. They help the climate so much because of all this creates more plankton by circulating the nutrients and fertilizing the phytoplankton with their poo. For instance, sperm whales alone in the Southern Ocean help sequester over 19 million trees worth of carbon. They are bioengineers of their ecosystems and our ecosystems too. They promote the growth of phytoplankton, which absorbs carbon. So, if we just leave them alone, that could be an incredible solution for us to help with the mess we've made. And there's also the whole thing about the whale fall. When a whale dies and the crabs and the worms and the clams and everything start to eat it, the whale carcass itself transports about 190,000 tons of carbon. That's what is produced by about 80,000 cars every year. So when you think about saving the whales, you're thinking about saving the planet and people, whether it's your family or your grandchildren or your great-grandchildren or whatever. This is a really big issue for me because I have nine grandchildren, and I worry about what we are leaving them because we are leaving them a big mess. We need to think beyond immediate results and consider the next steps and the consequences. And I think we tend to forget to do that because otherwise, they're going to get stuck with it."Nan Hauser is the President and Director of the Center for Cetacean Research & Conservation and the Director and Principal Investigator of Cook Islands Whale Research. Currently she's in the field studying the migration of the Southern Humpback Whale population that is currently passing through the Cook Islands, where she resides on the main island of Rarotonga. Her research includes population identity and abundance, acoustics, genetics stable isotopes behavior, and the navigation of cetaceans.https://whaleresearch.orghttps://whaleresearch.org/saved-by-a-whalewww.creativeprocess.infowww.oneplanetpodcast.orgIG www.instagram.com/creativeprocesspodcast

"I feel like we've put everything out of kilter and we have to work hard to find a balance. And that's in nature, that's within ourselves, that's within the knowledge that we have, finding that balance. I grew up a Quaker and I find that the greed that corporations have, we need to change that. We can't let the world be run by money and greed. I think that we have to stand strong and not fall apart and do the very best we can together. All of us, not just some of us. All of us, indeed, together."Nan Hauser is the President and Director of the Center for Cetacean Research & Conservation and the Director and Principal Investigator of Cook Islands Whale Research. Currently she's in the field studying the migration of the Southern Humpback Whale population that is currently passing through the Cook Islands, where she resides on the main island of Rarotonga. Her research includes population identity and abundance, acoustics, genetics stable isotopes behavior, and the navigation of cetaceans.https://whaleresearch.orghttps://whaleresearch.org/saved-by-a-whalewww.creativeprocess.infowww.oneplanetpodcast.orgIG www.instagram.com/creativeprocesspodcast

Nan Hauser is the President and Director of the Center for Cetacean Research & Conservation and the Director and Principal Investigator of Cook Islands Whale Research. Currently she's in the field studying the migration of the Southern Humpback Whale population that is currently passing through the Cook Islands, where she resides on the main island of Rarotonga. Her research includes population identity and abundance, acoustics, genetics stable isotopes behavior, and the navigation of cetaceans."I remember years ago, my Ph.D. advisor had asked me, 'How do you get such incredible footage of the whales and get them to stay with you?' So I said, 'unconditional love.' It's this whole sort of intuitive thing. And I can say this very comfortably as a scientist because it makes sense for anybody who works with these animals or any animals. And when you trust them, you emit this unconditional love, and they pick up on that, and they are going to respond. Believe me, every species of cetacean has its vibration, personality, and habits. And I'm just so fascinated by humpbacks and their beauty and their acrobatic abilities and their level of consciousness.Whales communicate with you constantly. It's like you have this relationship with them that you don't even have to use words. So it's reflections of the beauty and the wonder of the natural world, but it's also a reflection of the beauty of ourselves and nature and wildlife, and it's like awakening to to your true self."https://whaleresearch.orghttps://whaleresearch.org/saved-by-a-whalewww.creativeprocess.infowww.oneplanetpodcast.orgIG www.instagram.com/creativeprocesspodcast

"I remember years ago, my Ph.D. advisor had asked me, 'How do you get such incredible footage of the whales and get them to stay with you?' So I said, 'unconditional love.' It's this whole sort of intuitive thing. And I can say this very comfortably as a scientist because it makes sense for anybody who works with these animals or any animals. And when you trust them, you emit this unconditional love, and they pick up on that, and they are going to respond. Believe me, every species of cetacean has its vibration, personality, and habits. And I'm just so fascinated by humpbacks and their beauty and their acrobatic abilities and their level of consciousness.Whales communicate with you constantly. It's like you have this relationship with them that you don't even have to use words. So it's reflections of the beauty and the wonder of the natural world, but it's also a reflection of the beauty of ourselves and nature and wildlife, and it's like awakening to to your true self."Nan Hauser is the President and Director of the Center for Cetacean Research & Conservation and the Director and Principal Investigator of Cook Islands Whale Research. Currently she's in the field studying the migration of the Southern Humpback Whale population that is currently passing through the Cook Islands, where she resides on the main island of Rarotonga. Her research includes population identity and abundance, acoustics, genetics stable isotopes behavior, and the navigation of cetaceans.https://whaleresearch.orghttps://whaleresearch.org/saved-by-a-whalewww.creativeprocess.infowww.oneplanetpodcast.orgIG www.instagram.com/creativeprocesspodcast

"I don't think a lot of people realize how absolutely important whales are, and not just because they're beautiful and they make people happy, but whales carry nutrients from the depths they feed back to the surface. And there's this liquidy plume of fecal matter, and it's called the whale pump. And they bring all these nutrients upward with their tails by swimming up and down the water column, it's like an upward biological pump. And there's an incredible amount of nitrogen that's released in these plumes. And we get this great soup of nutrients. We get more from this nitrogen than all the rivers combined. And in the past, we recognized microbes and plankton and fish and that they recycled nutrients in the ocean, yet whales and other marine mammals have largely been overlooked and that's too bad because they are bioengineers. They help the climate so much because of all this creates more plankton by circulating the nutrients and fertilizing the phytoplankton with their poo. For instance, sperm whales alone in the Southern Ocean help sequester over 19 million trees worth of carbon. They are bioengineers of their ecosystems and our ecosystems too. They promote the growth of phytoplankton, which absorbs carbon. So, if we just leave them alone, that could be an incredible solution for us to help with the mess we've made. And there's also the whole thing about the whale fall. When a whale dies and the crabs and the worms and the clams and everything start to eat it, the whale carcass itself transports about 190,000 tons of carbon. That's what is produced by about 80,000 cars every year. So when you think about saving the whales, you're thinking about saving the planet and people, whether it's your family or your grandchildren or your great-grandchildren or whatever. This is a really big issue for me because I have nine grandchildren, and I worry about what we are leaving them because we are leaving them a big mess. We need to think beyond immediate results and consider the next steps and the consequences. And I think we tend to forget to do that because otherwise, they're going to get stuck with it."Nan Hauser is the President and Director of the Center for Cetacean Research & Conservation and the Director and Principal Investigator of Cook Islands Whale Research. Currently she's in the field studying the migration of the Southern Humpback Whale population that is currently passing through the Cook Islands, where she resides on the main island of Rarotonga. Her research includes population identity and abundance, acoustics, genetics stable isotopes behavior, and the navigation of cetaceans.https://whaleresearch.orghttps://whaleresearch.org/saved-by-a-whalewww.creativeprocess.infowww.oneplanetpodcast.orgIG www.instagram.com/creativeprocesspodcast

Nan Hauser is the President and Director of the Center for Cetacean Research & Conservation and the Director and Principal Investigator of Cook Islands Whale Research. Currently she's in the field studying the migration of the Southern Humpback Whale population that is currently passing through the Cook Islands, where she resides on the main island of Rarotonga. Her research includes population identity and abundance, acoustics, genetics stable isotopes behavior, and the navigation of cetaceans."I remember years ago, my Ph.D. advisor had asked me, 'How do you get such incredible footage of the whales and get them to stay with you?' So I said, 'unconditional love.' It's this whole sort of intuitive thing. And I can say this very comfortably as a scientist because it makes sense for anybody who works with these animals or any animals. And when you trust them, you emit this unconditional love, and they pick up on that, and they are going to respond. Believe me, every species of cetacean has its vibration, personality, and habits. And I'm just so fascinated by humpbacks and their beauty and their acrobatic abilities and their level of consciousness.Whales communicate with you constantly. It's like you have this relationship with them that you don't even have to use words. So it's reflections of the beauty and the wonder of the natural world, but it's also a reflection of the beauty of ourselves and nature and wildlife, and it's like awakening to to your true self."https://whaleresearch.orghttps://whaleresearch.org/saved-by-a-whalewww.creativeprocess.infowww.oneplanetpodcast.orgIG www.instagram.com/creativeprocesspodcast

Nan Hauser is the President and Director of the Center for Cetacean Research & Conservation and the Director and Principal Investigator of Cook Islands Whale Research. Currently she's in the field studying the migration of the Southern Humpback Whale population that is currently passing through the Cook Islands, where she resides on the main island of Rarotonga. Her research includes population identity and abundance, acoustics, genetics stable isotopes behavior, and the navigation of cetaceans."I don't think a lot of people realize how absolutely important whales are, and not just because they're beautiful and they make people happy, but whales carry nutrients from the depths they feed back to the surface. And there's this liquidy plume of fecal matter, and it's called the whale pump. And they bring all these nutrients upward with their tails by swimming up and down the water column, it's like an upward biological pump. And there's an incredible amount of nitrogen that's released in these plumes. And we get this great soup of nutrients. We get more from this nitrogen than all the rivers combined. And in the past, we recognized microbes and plankton and fish and that they recycled nutrients in the ocean, yet whales and other marine mammals have largely been overlooked and that's too bad because they are bioengineers. They help the climate so much because of all this creates more plankton by circulating the nutrients and fertilizing the phytoplankton with their poo. For instance, sperm whales alone in the Southern Ocean help sequester over 19 million trees worth of carbon. They are bioengineers of their ecosystems and our ecosystems too. They promote the growth of phytoplankton, which absorbs carbon. So, if we just leave them alone, that could be an incredible solution for us to help with the mess we've made. And there's also the whole thing about the whale fall. When a whale dies and the crabs and the worms and the clams and everything start to eat it, the whale carcass itself transports about 190,000 tons of carbon. That's what is produced by about 80,000 cars every year. So when you think about saving the whales, you're thinking about saving the planet and people, whether it's your family or your grandchildren or your great-grandchildren or whatever.This is a really big issue for me because I have nine grandchildren, and I worry about what we are leaving them because we are leaving them a big mess. We need to think beyond immediate results and consider the next steps and the consequences. And I think we tend to forget to do that because otherwise, they're going to get stuck with it."https://whaleresearch.orghttps://whaleresearch.org/saved-by-a-whalewww.creativeprocess.infowww.oneplanetpodcast.orgIG www.instagram.com/creativeprocesspodcast

Nan Hauser is the President and Director of the Center for Cetacean Research & Conservation and the Director and Principal Investigator of Cook Islands Whale Research. Currently she's in the field studying the migration of the Southern Humpback Whale population that is currently passing through the Cook Islands, where she resides on the main island of Rarotonga. Her research includes population identity and abundance, acoustics, genetics stable isotopes behavior, and the navigation of cetaceans."I don't think a lot of people realize how absolutely important whales are, and not just because they're beautiful and they make people happy, but whales carry nutrients from the depths they feed back to the surface. And there's this liquidy plume of fecal matter, and it's called the whale pump. And they bring all these nutrients upward with their tails by swimming up and down the water column, it's like an upward biological pump. And there's an incredible amount of nitrogen that's released in these plumes. And we get this great soup of nutrients. We get more from this nitrogen than all the rivers combined. And in the past, we recognized microbes and plankton and fish and that they recycled nutrients in the ocean, yet whales and other marine mammals have largely been overlooked and that's too bad because they are bioengineers. They help the climate so much because of all this creates more plankton by circulating the nutrients and fertilizing the phytoplankton with their poo. For instance, sperm whales alone in the Southern Ocean help sequester over 19 million trees worth of carbon. They are bioengineers of their ecosystems and our ecosystems too. They promote the growth of phytoplankton, which absorbs carbon. So, if we just leave them alone, that could be an incredible solution for us to help with the mess we've made. And there's also the whole thing about the whale fall. When a whale dies and the crabs and the worms and the clams and everything start to eat it, the whale carcass itself transports about 190,000 tons of carbon. That's what is produced by about 80,000 cars every year. So when you think about saving the whales, you're thinking about saving the planet and people, whether it's your family or your grandchildren or your great-grandchildren or whatever.This is a really big issue for me because I have nine grandchildren, and I worry about what we are leaving them because we are leaving them a big mess. We need to think beyond immediate results and consider the next steps and the consequences. And I think we tend to forget to do that because otherwise, they're going to get stuck with it."https://whaleresearch.orghttps://whaleresearch.org/saved-by-a-whalewww.creativeprocess.infowww.oneplanetpodcast.orgIG www.instagram.com/creativeprocesspodcast

Nan Hauser is the President and Director of the Center for Cetacean Research & Conservation and the Director and Principal Investigator of Cook Islands Whale Research. Currently she's in the field studying the migration of the Southern Humpback Whale population that is currently passing through the Cook Islands, where she resides on the main island of Rarotonga. Her research includes population identity and abundance, acoustics, genetics stable isotopes behavior, and the navigation of cetaceans."I don't think a lot of people realize how absolutely important whales are, and not just because they're beautiful and they make people happy, but whales carry nutrients from the depths they feed back to the surface. And there's this liquidy plume of fecal matter, and it's called the whale pump. And they bring all these nutrients upward with their tails by swimming up and down the water column, it's like an upward biological pump. And there's an incredible amount of nitrogen that's released in these plumes. And we get this great soup of nutrients. We get more from this nitrogen than all the rivers combined. And in the past, we recognized microbes and plankton and fish and that they recycled nutrients in the ocean, yet whales and other marine mammals have largely been overlooked and that's too bad because they are bioengineers. They help the climate so much because of all this creates more plankton by circulating the nutrients and fertilizing the phytoplankton with their poo. For instance, sperm whales alone in the Southern Ocean help sequester over 19 million trees worth of carbon. They are bioengineers of their ecosystems and our ecosystems too. They promote the growth of phytoplankton, which absorbs carbon. So, if we just leave them alone, that could be an incredible solution for us to help with the mess we've made. And there's also the whole thing about the whale fall. When a whale dies and the crabs and the worms and the clams and everything start to eat it, the whale carcass itself transports about 190,000 tons of carbon. That's what is produced by about 80,000 cars every year. So when you think about saving the whales, you're thinking about saving the planet and people, whether it's your family or your grandchildren or your great-grandchildren or whatever.This is a really big issue for me because I have nine grandchildren, and I worry about what we are leaving them because we are leaving them a big mess. We need to think beyond immediate results and consider the next steps and the consequences. And I think we tend to forget to do that because otherwise, they're going to get stuck with it."https://whaleresearch.orghttps://whaleresearch.org/saved-by-a-whalewww.creativeprocess.infowww.oneplanetpodcast.orgIG www.instagram.com/creativeprocesspodcast

Nan Hauser is the President and Director of the Center for Cetacean Research & Conservation and the Director and Principal Investigator of Cook Islands Whale Research. Currently she's in the field studying the migration of the Southern Humpback Whale population that is currently passing through the Cook Islands, where she resides on the main island of Rarotonga. Her research includes population identity and abundance, acoustics, genetics stable isotopes behavior, and the navigation of cetaceans."I feel like we've put everything out of kilter and we have to work hard to find a balance. And that's in nature, that's within ourselves, that's within the knowledge that we have, finding that balance. I grew up a Quaker and I find that the greed that corporations have, we need to change that. We can't let the world be run by money and greed. I think that we have to stand strong and not fall apart and do the very best we can together. All of us, not just some of us. All of us, indeed, together."https://whaleresearch.orghttps://whaleresearch.org/saved-by-a-whalewww.creativeprocess.infowww.oneplanetpodcast.orgIG www.instagram.com/creativeprocesspodcast