Divers found abundant populations of grey sharks and reef sharks in the pristine coral reef of Ducie atoll.
Swimming with sharks —
Divers found abundant populations of grey sharks and reef sharks in the pristine coral reef of Ducie atoll.
Enric Sala / National Geographic
The waters surrounding the Pitcairn Islands in the South Pacific contain an abundant variety of marine life.
Underwater treasures —
The waters surrounding the Pitcairn Islands in the South Pacific contain an abundant variety of marine life.
Enric Sala / National Geographic
A new survey of the health of the waters that surround the four islands (Pitcairn, Henderson, Oeno and Ducie) has revealed a "unique and pristine" marine ecosystem.
Lemonpeel Angelfish —
A new survey of the health of the waters that surround the four islands (Pitcairn, Henderson, Oeno and Ducie) has revealed a "unique and pristine" marine ecosystem.
Enric Sala/National Geographic
A team of scientists led by marine ecologist Enric Sala identified over 250 varieties of fish during the expedition earlier this year.
Diving in pure waters —
A team of scientists led by marine ecologist Enric Sala identified over 250 varieties of fish during the expedition earlier this year.
Enric Sala/National Geographic
The expedition was organized by the Pew Environment Group in association with the National Geographic Society.
Teeming with life —
The expedition was organized by the Pew Environment Group in association with the National Geographic Society.
Enric Sala / National Geographic
Pitcairn is the only island of the four which is populated. Currently, it has 55 inhabitants, some of whom descend from the mutineers of HMS Bounty who settled the island in 1790.
Pitcairn's Bounty Bay —
Pitcairn is the only island of the four which is populated. Currently, it has 55 inhabitants, some of whom descend from the mutineers of HMS Bounty who settled the island in 1790.
Enric Sala / National Geographic
Henderson Island is a UNESCO World Heritage site which the United Nations says has 10 species of plant and four land birds which are endemic to the island.
Henderson Island —
Henderson Island is a UNESCO World Heritage site which the United Nations says has 10 species of plant and four land birds which are endemic to the island.
Enric Sala / National Geographic
Oeno Island lies 128 kilometers (80 miles) North north-west of Pitcairn, and (along with Ducie, the fourth island in the Pitcairn group) is one of the most southerly coral atolls in the world.
Oeno Island —
Oeno Island lies 128 kilometers (80 miles) North north-west of Pitcairn, and (along with Ducie, the fourth island in the Pitcairn group) is one of the most southerly coral atolls in the world.
Enric Sala / National Geographic
The Pew Environment Group are calling on the British government to turn the waters surrounding the Pitcairn Islands into a vast marine reserve.
Preserving the ecosystem —
The Pew Environment Group are calling on the British government to turn the waters surrounding the Pitcairn Islands into a vast marine reserve.
Enric Sala / National Geographic
"These places allow us to know what the ocean was like before heavy human impacts ... and most important, to set proper conservation and management goals for our oceans," according the expedition report.
Protecting against human impacts —
"These places allow us to know what the ocean was like before heavy human impacts ... and most important, to set proper conservation and management goals for our oceans," according the expedition report.
Enric Sala / National Geographic
"There are only a handful of Exclusive Economic Zones of the world that remain pristine occupying less than 5% of the ocean," the expedition report adds.
Pristine environment —
"There are only a handful of Exclusive Economic Zones of the world that remain pristine occupying less than 5% of the ocean," the expedition report adds.
Enric Sala / National Geographic
Josh Reichert, managing director of the Pew Environment Group said: "Unless we change our relationship with the sea, we will inevitably bear witness to its collapse," Reichert said.
Fishing to extinction? —
Josh Reichert, managing director of the Pew Environment Group said: "Unless we change our relationship with the sea, we will inevitably bear witness to its collapse," Reichert said.
Enric Sala/National Geographic