Watch the 4-part documentary series
August 23rd & 24th
1pm – 3pm

Make a splash in the Pacific with researchers and cinematographers and see the ocean’s rare and dazzling creatures in a way never before seen on television. “Big Pacific” examines an ocean that covers a third of the Earth’s surface. Larger than all Earth’s land combined, the Pacific Ocean holds half of our world’s water, and hides the deepest place on our planet. It is a place where huge and iconic, rare and dazzling creatures live – and where creatures yet to be discovered lurk.

Airing next week, and online anytime

Watch the entire series on Mountain Lake PBS, or online, anytime with Mountain Lake PBS Passport.

Take a Deep Dive Into Marine Biology!

Sea Turtle Arribada | Big Pacific: Mysterious

Grades 6-12
When it’s time to nest, female olive ridley sea turtles return from their open ocean habitats to their own native shores to participate in a mass nesting event called an arribada. Visit one of the few arribada nesting locations, in Ostional, Costa Rica to meet an exhausted female who has travelled for thousands of miles to join half a million other sea turtles on their natal beach. Every female will lay eggs of her own alongside with the others, a survival strategy called predator swamping. About 100 million eggs will fill the beach, but not all will survive.

Creatures of the Lembeh Strait | Big Pacific: Violent

Grades 6-12
The Lembeh Strait runs between two Indonesian islands, and has accumulated some peculiar residents with unique relationships. The creatures in Lembeh use camouflage, lures, and even kidnapping to survive. Frogfish hide in plain sight while inching closer to their prey. The Black Hairy Frogfish joins a cluster of fire urchins who share a similar appearance. Getting close is one thing, but this frogfish has another trick: a lure. The lure draws out the fish hiding among the fire urchin spines until it gets close enough to attack. The carrier crab also exploits urchins, but to wear them as protective armour.

Galapagos Marine Iguana | Big Pacific: Voracious

Grades 6-12
The Galapagos Islands are home to the only marine iguanas in the world, cold-blooded specimens uniquely adapted to thrive in the ocean. The marine iguana can hold its breath up to an hour while searching the ocean for algae and seaweed. A flattened tail, sharp claws, and short snout allow the iguana to feed underwater, a rare behavior among reptiles. To filter out the excess salt it inevitably ingests while foraging in the ocean, all the iguana has to do is sneeze. 

Tuesday, August 24th at 2 PM: Big Pacific | Passionate

Grades 6-12
Yellow-eyed penguins are one of the rarest of penguin species, and also one of the shyest. They are also monogamous, but only pair up when it’s time to breed. Yellow-eyed penguins nest in secluded parts of the forest, and the parents take turns bringing back fish for their chicks to eat. After six weeks, the chicks are grown enough to be left on their own and the family will part ways. This video depicts the patterns in behavior of parents and offspring that help offspring survive.