When spring arrives, who will be the first to announce the good news? In the Hainan tropical rainforest, the kapok tree takes on this task! Lighting up like a beacon fire, it sends the signal of the changing season across Hainan, while also ringing the dinner bell. For many residents of the tropical rainforest, it's time to eat! The sweet flower nectar attracts many hungry small mammals and birds, who are happy to assist in pollination. The riot of color on the kapok tree sings out the brightest, most irresistible note in the symphony of spring.

Kapok flowers in the morning. Photo courtesy of Discovering Mysteries Season 5 crew

In spring, nature awakens, and all living creatures join the celebration.

In the tropical rainforest of Hainan, spring is first announced by the kapok trees.

Kapok flowers in the morning. Photo courtesy of Discovering Mysteries Season 5 crew

Blooming kapok flowers. Photo courtesy of Discovering Mysteries Season 5 crew

Against a canvas covered in green, red kapok flowers stand out like beacon fires, signaling the change of seasons to the entire island. The blooming and falling of flowers vividly illustrates the cycle of life, while also signaling that meal time has arrived for many forest creatures.

A bird is attracted by the kapok flowers. Photo courtesy of Discovering Mysteries Season 5 crew

The spreading branches in the crown of a huge kapok tree are covered in flowers. The sturdy, eye-catching petals, along with the sweetness hidden in the center, are an irresistible treat for many animals. Kapok flowers appear before the leaves unfurl. Inside each blossom, a cup-shaped structure is filled with sweet nectar, attracting hungry small mammals and birds, who return the favor by assisting in pollination.

A squirrel feeds on kapok nectar. Photo courtesy of Discovering Mysteries Season 5 crew

The trees are full of flowers, each a separate dish in a fabulous rainforest feast. Bees buzz with excitement, and clever, small birds flit from flower to flower, tasting each one. A Crested Serpent Eagle has also perched on the kapok tree, but it isn’t here for the nectar. Instead, the bird has claimed the treetop as a lookout, surveying its vast rainforest territory.

Hainan's tropical rainforest is highly bio-diverse, with different species each occupying their own unique ecological niche. At this moment, flowers are blooming across the tropical rainforest, but the kapok outshines them all. These fiery blossoms sing out the brightest, most irresistible note in the symphony of spring.