Brent Stephenson / Flying Fish (possibly Cheilopogon suttoni) skimming across sea surface. Between the Tuamotus and Marquesas, French Polynesia, Pacific Ocean, October.

Tim Laman / Sooty terns (Onychoprion fuscatus) hover over their nesting colony on Teuaua Islet, off Ua Huka Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.

Brent Stephenson / Weak-shelled Shore Crabs (Grapsus tenuicrustatus) on a wave platform. Puamau, Hiva Oa, Marquesas, French Polynesia, November.

Brent Stephenson / The grave of Paul Gauguin at the Atuona Cemetary on Hiva Oa. Marquesas, French Polynesia, November 2009.

Brent Stephenson / Marquesas Imperial / Nuku Hiva Pigeon (Ducula galeata) feeding on fruits in the canopy. Hatiheu, Nuku Hiva, Marquesas, French Polynesia, November.

Brent Stephenson / Marquesan Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus mendanae) singing from a perch in a bush. Hatiheu, Nuku Hiva, Marquesas, French Polynesia, November.

Brent Stephenson / Sanderling (Calidris alba) pulling a large worm from sand. Taiohae, Nuku Hiva, Marquesas, French Polynesia, October.

Tim Laman / Stone walls and other features at a ancient Polynesian archaelogical site in Hatiheu Valley, Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia, July 2006

Tim Laman / Forest on Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia, July 2006

Tim Laman / Bay of Virgins, Fatu Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia, July 2006

Tim Laman / Polynesian petroglyph or rock carving on the island of Fatu Hiva, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia, July 2006

Tim Laman / Sunlight on fringing forest with dark clouds behind, Anaho Bay, Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia, July 2006

Tim Laman / Anaho Bay, Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia, July 2006

Tim Laman / Lava rock and coral sand, Anaho Bay, Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia, July 2006

Tim Laman / View of Hatiheu bay and surrounding peaks, Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia, July 2006

Tim Laman / National Geographic ship, Endeavour, at anchor in Hatiheu Bay, Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia, July 2006

Tim Laman / Stone walls and other features at a ancient Polynesian archaelogical site in Hatiheu Valley, Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia, July 2006

Tim Laman / Rock formation in the Bay of Virgins, Fatu Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia, July 2006

Tim Laman / Leaves and fruit of Great morinda / Noni plant (Morinda citrifolia) Hiva Oa Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia, July 2006

Tim Laman / Anaho Bay, Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia, July 2006

Tim Laman / Stone walls and other features at a ancient Polynesian archaelogical site in Hatiheu Valley, Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia, July 2006

Tim Laman / Highly endangered Marquesas Palm (Pelagodoxa henryana) seeds from one of the few remaining trees in the wild. Held by Lucian Bono. Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

Tim Laman / Marquesas Reed-Warbler (Acrocephalus mendanae) Ua Huka Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia. Endemic to Marquesas Islands.

Tim Laman / Polynesian stone carvings in a small village on Ua Huka Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.

Tim Laman / Highly endangered Marquesas Palm (Pelagodoxa henryana) tree with fruit. This is one of the few trees surviving in the wild in Nuku Hiva Island. Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

Tim Laman / The church in a small village on Ua Huka Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.

Tim Laman / White-capped Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus dupetithouarsii) Ua Huka Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia. Endemic to Marquesas Islands.

Tim Laman / Fish hung to dry in the sun in Taiohae Harbor. Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

Tim Laman / Coconut Palm (Cocos nucifera) plantation and mountain views, Ua Huka Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.

Tim Laman / White-capped Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus dupetithouarsii) Ua Huka Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia. Endemic to Marquesas Islands.

Tim Laman / Man hanging fish to dry in the sun. Taiohae Harbor, Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

Tim Laman / Small bay and village, Ua Huka Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.

Tim Laman / Pod of Melon-headed Whales (Peponocephala electra) Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

Tim Laman / Feral goats on the slopes of Ua Huka Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia. Introduced goats are a huge problem causing extinction of native plant species on many Pacific islands.

Tim Laman / Aerial view of Cape Tikapo and the southern coast of Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

Tim Laman / Coconut Palm (Cocos nucifera) plantation, Ua Huka Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.

Tim Laman / Marquesan Imperial Pigeon (Ducula galeata) Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia. IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered

Tim Laman / Seeds of the highly endangered endemic Marquesas Palm (Pelagodoxa henryana) being germinated at a facility in Taiohae for their cultivation. Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

Tim Laman / Lucian Bono with trays of seeds of the endangered Sandalwood (Santalum insulare) tree from Nuku Hiva Island. He is attempting to germinate these seeds at a facility for the propogation of this species...

Tim Laman / Beach with lava rocks and coconut palms in Anaho Bay, Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

Tim Laman / Greenhouse for propogation of endangered plant species from Nuku Hiva Island such as the Sandalwood (Santalum insulare). Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

Tim Laman / Sooty Tern (Onychoprion fuscatus) on nest with egg at nesting colony, Teuaua Islet,off Ua Huka Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.

Tim Laman / Garden for the cultivation of endangered species from Nuku Hiva Island such as this Sandalwood (Santalum insulare) seedling. Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

Tim Laman / Pandanus Tree (Pandanus sp.) with fruit. Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

Tim Laman / An egg collector from Ua Huka Island collects Sooty Tern eggs in a bucket for food while Sooty Terns (Onychoprion fuscatus) hover over their nesting colony on Teuaua Islet, from Ua Huka Island, Marque...

Tim Laman / (Pandanus sp) tree in the forests of Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

Tim Laman / View of Anaho Bay, with Coconut palm plantation in lowlands and Pandanus plants in foreground. Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

Tim Laman / Lucian Bono and Jean-Pierre Malet search the ridges of Nuku Hiva Island for endangered Sandalwood (Santalum insulare) to collect seeds for a cultivation program. Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

Tim Laman / Stone wall from ancient Polynesian ruin on Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

Tim Laman / Egg collectors from Ua Huka Island load a boat with buckets of Sooty Tern eggs collected for food from Sooty Terns (Onychoprion fuscatus) nesting colony on Teuaua Islet off from Ua Huka Island, Marque...

Tim Laman / A fruiting shrub in the Ericaceae family. Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

Tim Laman / Polynesian archeaological site in Hatiheu, Nuku Hiva Island, with ancient stone platform and some modern replicas of carvings. Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

Tim Laman / Sooty Terns (Onychoprion fuscatus) hover over their nesting colony on Teuaua Islet, off Ua Huka Island, while an egg collector from Ua Huka Island collects eggs for food. Marquesas Islands, French Pol...

Tim Laman / Lucian Bono checks the fruit on an endangered Sandalwood (Santalum insulare) tree. Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

Tim Laman / Highly endangered Marquesas Palm (Pelagodoxa henryana) seeds on the ground beneath one of the few remaining trees surviving in the wild. Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

Tim Laman / Sooty Tern (Onychoprion fuscatus) on nest with egg at nesting colony, Teuaua Islet, off Ua Huka Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.

Tim Laman / Fresh caught fish unloaded from a fishing boat in Taiohae Harbor, Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

Tim Laman / Highly endangered Marquesas Palm (Pelagodoxa henryana) trees. The two trees visible here are a couple of the small number remaining alive in the wild in Nuku Hiva Island. Marquesas Islands, French Pol...

Tim Laman / Flowering Metrosideros (Metrosideros sp.) shrub with rugged valley in the background. Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

Doug Perrine / Hakaui Valley, Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Is, French Polynesia

Doug Perrine / Hakaui Valley, Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Is, French Polynesia

Doug Perrine / Pod of Melon headed whales underwater {Peponocephala electra} Marquesas Islands, (Non-ex).

Onne van der Wal / Man standing in front of a large Banyan tree (Ficus bengalensis), Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.

Onne van der Wal / Dramatic clouds over catamarans anchored at sunset in the Bay of Virgins, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.

Onne van der Wal / Polynesian children beside a traditional boat, smiling for the camera in the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.

Onne van der Wal / Dramatic clouds at sunset over a catamaran anchored in the Bay of Virgins in the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.

Onne van der Wal / Dramatic clouds over an anchored catamaran at sunset in the Bay of Virgins, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.

Onne van der Wal / Catamaran cruising the coast of the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.

Onne van der Wal / Traditional Polynesian statues in the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.

Onne van der Wal / Catamaran cruising in the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.

Onne van der Wal / A man standing in front of a large Banyan tree in the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.

Onne van der Wal / Exotic flowers and lush vegetation with a cruising yacht anchored in the bay behind, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.

Onne van der Wal / Lush vegetation and traditional statues in the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.

Tim Laman / Ultramarine Lorikeet (Vini ultramarina) Ua Huka Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia. Endemic to Marquesas Islands. IUCN Red List: Endangered

Tim Laman / Sooty Terns (Onychoprion fuscatus) hover over their nesting colony on Teuaua Islet, off Ua Huka Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.

Tim Laman / Marquesan Imperial Pigeon (Ducula galeata) Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia. IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered

Tim Laman / Ultramarine Lorikeet (Vini ultramarina) Ua Huka Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia. Endemic to Marquesas Islands. IUCN Red List: Endangered

Tim Laman / Marquesas Reed-Warbler (Acrocephalus mendanae) feeding on rainforest fruit, Ua Huka Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia. Endemic to Marquesas Islands.