Marine Life & Conservation
Just Keep Swimming, Just Keep Swimming: Baby Clownfish Travel Hundreds Of Miles To Find The Ideal Home
Although they will spend almost their entire lives living with their host, new research has found that baby clownfish, before settling down, will travel for hundreds of miles across open ocean in search of the ideal home.
Soon after hatching from their eggs, the tiny fish will leave in search of an anemone they will call their own, gradually becoming immune to the anemone’s toxic sting that can kill other kinds of fish as they take up residence.
An international team of researchers reports they found some tiny baby clownfish travelling as far as 250 miles from one reef population to another.
“This is an epic journey for these tiny week-old fish,” says marine biologist Steve Simpson from the University of Exeter in England. “When they arrive at the reef, they are less than a centimetre long, and only a few days old, so to travel hundreds of kilometers they must be riding ocean currents to assist their migration.”
The researchers tracked baby clownfish moving across the Gulf of Oman, a branch of the Persian Gulf off the Arabian Peninsula.
“There are only two coral reef systems along this coast, and they are separated by 400 km (248 miles) of surf beaches,” Simpson says. “In order to persist as a single species, we know Omani clownfish fish must occasionally migrate between these two populations.”
Marine conservationists are concerned about the future of the clownfish, as the coral reefs that are home to both the fish and their anemone hosts become increasingly fragile as a result of the warming and acidification of the World’s oceans.
There is also concern that that the number of orange clownfish taken for the aquarium trade – a number that rose dramatically following the success of the ‘Finding Nemo’ movie – is putting pressure on populations of the colourful fish.
Source: www.techtimes.com
The Shark Trust is excited to announce that, for two more days only, all donations, large or small, will be doubled in the Big Give Green Match Fund!
Donate to Basking in Nature: Sighting Giants
The Shark Trust is hoping to raise £10k which will be doubled to £20k. This will go towards Basking in Nature: Sighting Giants. And they need YOUR help to reach they’re goal.
The Shark Trust’s citizen science project is to monitor and assess basking sharks through sightings; encouraging data collection, community engagement, and promoting nature accessibility. This initiative aims to enhance health and wellbeing by fostering a deeper connection with British Sharks.
Campaign Aims
- Increase citizen science reporting of Basking Sharks and other shark sightings to help inform shark and ray conservation.
- Provide educational talks about the diverse range of sharks and rays in British waters and accessible identification guides!
- Create engaging and fun information panels on how to ID the amazing sharks and rays we have on our doorstep! These can be used on coastal paths around the Southwest. With activities and information on how you can make a difference for sharks and rays!
- Promote mental wellbeing through increasing time in nature and discovering the wonders beneath the waves!
Donate, and double your impact. Click Here
Marine Life & Conservation
Leading UK-based shark conservation charity, the Shark Trust, is delighted to announce tour operator Diverse Travel as a Corporate Patron
Corporate Patrons provide a valuable boost to the work of The Shark Trust. The Trust team works globally to safeguard the future of sharks, and their close cousins, the skates and rays, engaging with a global network of scientists, policymakers, conservation professionals, businesses and supporters to further shark conservation.
Specialist tour operator Diverse Travel has operated since 2014 and is committed to offering its guests high quality, sustainable scuba diving holidays worldwide. Working together with the Shark Trust will enable both organisations to widen engagement and encourage divers and snorkellers to actively get involved in shark conservation.
“Sharks are truly at the heart of every diver and at Diverse Travel, we absolutely share that passion. There is nothing like seeing a shark in the wild – it’s a moment that stays with you forever!” says Holly Bredin, Sales & Marketing Manager, Diverse Travel.
“We’re delighted to celebrate our 10th year of business by becoming a Corporate Patron of the Shark Trust. This is an exciting partnership for Diverse and our guests. We will be donating on behalf of every person who books a holiday with us to contribute towards their vital shark conservation initiatives around the world. We will also be working together with the Trust to inspire divers, snorkellers and other travellers to take an active role – at home and abroad – in citizen science projects and other activities.”
Paul Cox, CEO of The Shark Trust, said:
“It’s an exciting partnership and we’re thrilled to be working with Diverse Travel to enable more divers and travellers to get involved with sharks and shark conservation. Sharks face considerable conservation challenges but, through collaboration and collective action, we can secure a brighter future for sharks and their ocean home. This new partnership takes us one more valuable step towards that goal.”
For more information about the Shark Trust visit their website here.
For more about Diverse Travel click here.
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