Fautaua Valley

Fautaua Valley is a river valley on the island of Tahiti, in French Polynesia.[1] It is located near the capital of Papeete. The Fautaua River flows through it, eventually cascading down the mountainside as the Fautaua Falls almost 300 metres (980 ft) into a shallow bathing pool called Loti Bain.[1] The pool is named for the French writer Pierre Loti, who lived in the area for some time.[2] It is the 28th-highest waterfall in the world.[3] The falls are also known as Fachoda Falls, after Fort Fachoda, a ruined fort found at the top of the falls.[1][4]

The falls are accessible for tourists and hikers, although the purchase of an access permit is required.[5] The hike is estimated to take anywhere from 3–6 hours, depending on which route one takes.[3][4]

Scientists have studied the flora and fauna of the Fautaua Valley. Examples of earwig species Hamaxas nigrorufus and Chelisoches morio were found in the valley in a survey in 1949.[6] Examples of mosses from genus Fissidens such as F. clarkii, F. mangarevensis, and newly-described species F. fautauae were located in the valley during surveys in 1960.[7]

References
  1. Scheffel, Richard L.; Wernet, Susan J., eds. (1980). Natural Wonders of the World. United States of America: Reader's Digest Association, Inc. p. 145. ISBN 978-0-89577-087-5.
  2. "Buste de Pierre Loti, vallée de la Fautaua - Tahiti Heritage". www.tahitiheritage.pf (in French). 2015-01-25. Retrieved 2017-03-08.
  3. "Discovering the Fautaua valley – The Tahiti Traveler". www.thetahititraveler.com. Retrieved 2017-03-08.
  4. "Cascade de Fachoda (Papeete / Fautaua Valley, Tahiti, French Polynesia)". World of Waterfalls. Retrieved 2017-03-08.
  5. Brash, Celeste; Carillet, Jean-Bernard (2009-01-01). Tahiti & French Polynesia. Lonely Planet. ISBN 9781741043167.
  6. Rehn, James A. G. (June 1949). "Dermaptera Collected by the Mangarevan Expedition". Transactions of the American Entomological Society. 75 (2): 105–106. JSTOR 25077599.
  7. Whittier, Henry O.; Miller, Harvey A. (Spring 1967). "Mosses of the Society Islands: Fissidens". The Bryologist. American Bryological and Lichenological Society. 70 (1): 81–84. JSTOR 3241141.


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