A series of lava flows spill into the ocean, Big Island, Hawaii, United States
© Ken McCurdy/Getty Image
The power of Kīlauea. Big Island, Hawaii, United States
Most landscapes change over thousands of years. Volcanoes can reshape them in a matter of hours, and on Hawaii's Big Island, they continue to do just that. Recognising the scientific and natural importance of this ever-changing environment, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was established on 1 August, 1916. For more than a century, it has protected over 142,000 hectares of volcanic terrain, native forests and rare wildlife.
The national park is named after its two volcanoes—Kīlauea and Mauna Loa. Kīlauea is one of the world's most active volcanoes, and during some eruptions, its lava flows downhill to the Pacific Ocean, where it cools into new rock. Mauna Loa, the world's largest active volcano by volume, has erupted 34 times since its first well-documented eruption in 1843. The park is also home to species such as the nēnē, Hawaii's state bird, and the endangered Hawaiian petrel. As it marks another anniversary today, the park continues to protect a landscape that never stands still.
Related Images
Winter at the Isis Temple in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
View of Orchha, Madhya Pradesh
Houseboats parked on the banks of Jhelum River, Kashmir
Sandhill cranes taking flight over the Platte River near Kearney, Nebraska, USA
At the top of Mount Fuji in Japan. Happy New Year!
Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, China
Wildflowers in bloom at Lost Dutchman State Park in Arizona, USA
Chital, spotted deer in misty grassland at dawn, Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh, India
Bing Today Images
