In footage shot in Hawaii's Volcanoes National Park, a wingless lava cricket that thrives in one of the most hostile environments on Earth is seen walking on lava. The insect is said to thrive in the volcanic craters of Kilauea and Mauna Loa.
Wingless Lava Cricket
According to researchers, the first multicellular lifeform to establish itself in the hardened lava flows left behind by recent eruptions on the island is the wingless lava cricket (Caconemobius fori), also known as "'ūhini nēnē pele" in Hawaiian.
A female wingless lava cricket can be seen traversing one of these lava flows in a clip from America's National Parks.
Garth Brooks, a documentary narrator from National Geographic, said that to survive in this land of fire, nature has had to adapt. The said cricket is the first animal to settle in this hostile environment following an eruption-the ultimate pioneer.
Scientists have discovered that the tiny insect survives by eating fragments of dead plants and sea foam that the wind carries into its harsh environment. The insect is around the size of a fingernail.
Anwar Mamon, an executive producer of America's National Parks, said that aside from this, scientists still know very little about the insect and that many facets of its life as well as behavior are a complete mystery.
Mamon said that nobody is aware of its life cycle, travel habits, habitat, or anything else. It thrives in one of the most hostile environments on Earth, where there is a lack of oxygen, extreme heat, and lava spewing close by.
The crickets have been discovered by scientists to be present on hardened lava flows from volcanic eruptions that took place as recently as three months earlier. But the crickets mysteriously vanish by the moment the first vegetation appears in these arid landscapes.
Mamon said that it gives off the impression of being alien. It continues to be a mystery. There are many legends and myths out there that have yet to be investigated and learned about. Mamon's mind is still blown when he considers Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in terms of this lava-covered island.
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America's National Parks
According to Mamon, there is a remarkable variety of habitats and landscapes in America's national parks. Along with telling timely human stories, that is what the series seeks to investigate.
Mamon says that the creators of the series wanted to convey to viewers the value and significance of America's national parks to the rest of the world.
He added that one of their goals with the series is to encourage viewers to recognize the importance of taking care of their backyards. People have a responsibility to protect their environment.
Mamon further said that he wants people to have a deeper relationship with national parks and, ideally, to respect and comprehend their significance and the fact that they are open to all. However, the parks require protection, visitors, and awareness that they are a component of the larger ecosystem. Mamon hopes that the show will educate and inspire viewers about that connection, Newsweek reports.
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