360° Reportage

The sanctuary of Bird Island is highly prized by the seabirds that lay their eggs there. Yet this Subantarctic paradise has become severely threatened by rats.

Rye straw was long seen as a humble material, used for roofing, wall insulation and woven furniture. Industrial production pushed it into obscurity, but today dedicated artisans are reviving it for luxury interiors, transforming this simple natural material into elegant marquetry and high-end decorative design.

Like Venice, the Portuguese city of Aveiro is crisscrossed by numerous canals where moliceiros, gondolas carved from pine, ply the waters. Every August, these traditional boats compete in a regatta during the Emigrants' Festival. This flagship event allows many members of the Portuguese diaspora to reunite.

In Zimbabwe, the art of African braids has been a women's affair for generations. The growing number of men embracing the profession is reshuffling the cards. Will there be enough room for everyone?

In Peru, indigenous communities have started breeding Meliponini, stingerless bees. Producing honey that is as noble as it is expensive, they play an essential role in the pollination of vernacular plants, thus paving the way for sustainable forest management. Could these stingless foragers help save the Amazon jungle?

Selim Hutoglu and his family live in Turkey in the province of Rize, at the foot of the Kaçkar Mountains. Every year, at the beginning of summer, they go with their cows for three months to the mountains, at an altitude of 3,100 meters. Up there, the animals graze, the family makes cheese and enjoys the great outdoors. But every year, the climb to reach the plateau is perilous.

Inseparable from Japanese culture, the katana is the prerogative of samurai. Crowned with spirituality, this sword is highly symbolic. He embodies strength, honor and discipline. In Yamagata, master blacksmith Kanbayashi shapes a katana for weeks using the three-steel technique, an artisanal method that has become rare.

The Tien Shan mountains, in the heights of Kyrgyzstan, are home to a predator that has become mythical: the snow leopard. Threatened by the disappearance of its habitat and by poachers who mainly attack its beautiful fur, this feline is very discreet.

Several times a year, Dr. Jorge Fusaro heads to the highlands of Argentina's Andes, where families who live far from any infrastructure impatiently await him. Isolation makes medical care difficult. However, these people also need regular care.

Anxious to see the traditions of the Georgian Orthodox Church perpetuated and to bring his country's cultural heritage to life, Brother Iakobi works to preserve the lineage of Caucasian shepherds, a breed of dog originating from the region.

An island paradise with breathtaking beaches, Florianopolis is located in southern Brazil. Every winter, it perpetuates an ancestral tradition: mullet fishing, known in Portuguese as pesce de tainha. But times are hard for the professional fishermen, as fish are becoming scarce. Despite these difficulties, they dream of making a record-breaking catch.

The live-action adaptation of “The Little Mermaid”, with Halle Bailey in the lead role, has definitively buried the cliché of the blonde, blue-eyed nymph. From now on, naiads of all origins, genders and physiques enter the picture. In particular, African-American mermaids, whose fourth gathering in Miami is being held by Melanee Schneider.

In Brittany, in Finistère, a kitesurfing champion and her partner have set themselves a crazy challenge: to brave the Iroise Sea, which is said to be one of the most dangerous seas in Europe, to discover its legendary lighthouses...

Set alongside the Étang de Thau, Sète is home to the Mediterranean's main fishing port. The town is also famous for its great nautical jousts, which take place in late August during the Saint Louis Festival.

Of all the countries in the European Union, Bulgaria is experiencing the most severe demographic decline, particularly in rural areas. The small village of Dobralak, in the Rhodope Mountains which lie on the country's southern border, is a good example of this decline.

Chitwan National Park is home to the endangered Ganges gharial, a crocodilian with a long, narrow snout adapted for catching fish. Its habitat and nesting sites along riverbanks are shrinking due to human activity. Local communities are working to protect the species and secure its survival.

After nearly a century, otters are returning to Germany's rivers, lakes and wetlands. Their elusive nature makes them hard to count, but growing numbers are evident in Schleswig-Holstein, where orphaned cubs are increasingly found. A wildlife rescue center cares for thousands of animals each year.

Canada, a country as large as the whole European continent, has large swathes of land in the arctic which are barely populated. A vital link to isolated communities is the helicopter with more than 3,000 helicopter pilots in the country. Only five percent of them are women. Who are these trailblazers who brave the cold and dangerous conditions in their jobs?

"Kukeri" is the name of the pagan ritual celebrated by Bulgarians in winter. It is said to drive away evil spirits and bring good luck. The tradition has survived centuries of foreign rule and remains deeply rooted in the Bulgarian soul. More and more women are also being drawn to this ritual, which was originally reserved for men.

The cultivation of cannabis has a long tradition in northern Morocco - around 300,000 families have long made a living from growing the plant, from which marijuana and hashish are extracted. As its therapeutic properties have been proven, some countries, including Morocco, have legalised medical cannabis use. However, legalisation does not guarantee a promising future for small farmers.

For centuries, the inhabitants of the Danish island of Læsø have covered the roofs of their houses with dried-out seaweed. The fire-resistant natural material protected the houses from storms and rain and this sustainable material is still in use today. Roofer Henning is the keeper of this rare craft and wants to pass on his knowledge to the younger generation.