Carnivores of the Coral Garden Nature Sea, 2018 HD Documentary.

[Music] the seas of Arabia are alive with carnivores sharks and rays patrol the coral reefs hunting down their prey toxic fish disguised themselves to ambush the unwary and bizarre armored predators devour the vulnerable these are the carnivores of the coral garden [Music] in the remote northwest corner of the Indian Ocean the seas around Arabia are among the richest in the world nowhere is this more evident than in the coral gardens of the coast of Oman here a rare upwelling of cold water brings nutrients to the surface and with it an explosion of life the Sultanate of Oman is on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula the country has over 500 square kilometers of coral reef in its coastal waters unlike some of the world's more famous coral reefs Oh Mons remain largely unexplored but spend a day here and the carnivores will reveal themselves each with its own special tactics to survive it's dawn a top carnivore looks for a place to rest after a night of hunting [Music] a zebra shark an apex predator in the Gulf of Oman and a permanent resident of this reef growing up to two and a half meters this solitary shark is no threat to fish or humans but crustaceans and molluscs have better beware this carnivore prefers prey that hides in the crevices of the reef at night and in the sandy sea floor I've closed this one reveals its distinctive spotted skin pattern it more closely resembles a leopard than a zebra but this is an adult the zebra shark begins life with dark stripes and that's how it gets its name [Music] as the Juvenal grows the dark bands gradually morph in a small dark blotches on a yellow skin it's unusual for an animal to be named for its juvenile markings this radical change of pattern is common among carpet sharks the order of animals to which the zebra shark belongs [Music] fully grown this adults tail or caudal fin is almost half the size of its entire body it's inefficient for high speed or long distance swimming but this carnivore doesn't migraine like many other sharks [Music] it also doesn't need speed to catch it's mostly slow-moving prey but it does need agility the tail along with fixed pectoral fins enables it to carefully navigate around the reef [Music] although solitary by nature the zebra shark is rarely alone this female has a number of carnivorous freeloaders in tow this morning Remora fish often travel with sharks they stick close to their hosts to feed on its parasites and dead skin but this nocturnal hunter will soon take a break she'll rest in daylight hours and resume her hunting later on the hunt for the same hardshell prey is a close relative of the shark a stingray also largely nocturnal this one cruises menacingly over the sand looking for a final meal rays are essentially sharks with flattened bodies and extended tails stingrays have a venomous barb on theirs which they can flick over their heads but it would be attacker a sting can be excruciating ly painful but human fatalities are extremely rare despite their dangerous reputation they rarely use their tails for aggression or defense [Music] this black blotch stingray presses its body flat and churns up the sand in an undulating movement to unearth prey hiding under the surface it doesn't strike it lucky the first time sir circles round to try again [Music] the Stingray has large spiracles behind its eyes openings through which it draws water in it blows it out through its underside gills creating turbulence in the sand like the zebra shark this bottom feeder can crush even the most hard shelled prey and has up to 90 rows of teeth in its mouth [Music] it's journey around the reef looks almost effortless it's large rounded pectoral fins are fused with its body creating a circular disc it swims by creating an undulating wave of movement which ripples down his body and propels the Stingray forward add up to almost two meters across and weighing more than 135 kilos the black blotched is one of the world's largest species of stingray [Music] the global population is unknown but here in Arabian waters they're a rare sight [Music] this one takes a moment to rest but it will need to find a more private place to relax during daylight hours even with a barbed tail lying out on an expose reef can be dangerous [Music] in a murky reef crevice a second stingray settles into it's daytime hideaway but the stingrays are not the only ones seeking shelter a couple of nervous and also nocturnal squirrel fish are trying to avoid the emerging daytime predators [Music] [Music] the zebra shark also needs a place to rest by day her size means she has little to fear out in the open but what's remarkable about this shark is that she can breathe while stationary on the sea floor pelagic sharks those found in open ocean like great whites would die if they stopped swimming their continuous movement forces oxygenated water across their gills enabling them to breathe but the zebra shark can pump our own water small mouth movements draw it in through her mouth and push it out through the five gill slits on either side of her head this action is known as buccal pumping [Music] facing in at the fast-flowing see current makes this even easier she promised herself up on her pectoral fins to lift up into the current like the stingray she also has spiracles behind her eyes to help her to breathe by drawing water in this adaptation is unique to bottom-dwelling sharks and race zebra sharks like this exposed part of the reef with its strong sea currents in these Arabian waters the secretive hunters are an unusually common sight during daylight [Music] [Music] above the reef is an archipelago of rocky uninhabited islands these are the demanded islands lying fifteen kilometers off the north coast of Oman islands were the first in the country to be officially protected in 1996 [Music] they're now on a 14 marine nature reserves in a mine from the sea they may look barren and unwelcoming but life does exist here [Music] seabirds use these islands to rest on and feed from the rocky shores provide homes for crabs at certain times of year even sea turtles will nest here but it is the fringing coral reefs in the water around the islands that attract the greatest variety of species [Music] as the Sun rises and the nocturnal hunters wind down the daytime carnivores emerge from their nighttime hideaways the goatfish is one of the busiest in Arabian waters [Music] this one actively dicks for worms crustaceans or other small invertebrates it can find it uses the long barbels protruding from his chin to detect prey as it rifles through the sediment [Music] its distinctive colored markings give this one its name yellow striped goatfish [Music] the goatfish is not alone spine cheeks loiter nearby [Music] this one is keeping a close eye what the goldfish is an earthing it does none of the work but waits patiently ready to reap the rewards of the goldfish's vigorous efforts [Music] the spine she gets his name from an almost invisible backwards pointing spine just behind his eye [Music] this carnivore is a type of bream but unlike is more familiar cousin the sea bream which lives in deep water the spine cheek prefers these food rich sandy shallows [Music] all fish have a lateral line running along each side of their bodies and most fish is not easy to see but the patterning of the spine cheek makes it more visible running from nose to tail beneath its distinctive dorsal stripes the row of small pores leads to a line of fluid beneath the skin which enable the fish to feel changes in water pressure this helps them to detect predators and prey and also helps schools of fish to synchronize their movements the goldfish rarely gets any alone time for hunting if it's not the spine cheek then it's a black spotted butterfly fish this butterfly fish lives only in Arabian waters it prefers to eat coral but is not going to turn down the chance of a free meal [Music] at last the smaller of the two go fish strikes it lucky its hit a patch of tasty invertebrates under the sand the to tuck into their well-earned feast [Music] finally away from the attentions of their lazier followers [Music] [Music] not all of the coral garden carnivores are easy to see as they hunt expertly camouflaged somewhere in the middle of the rocks and coral is one of the cleverest carnivores in the Arabian seas [Music] blending perfectly with its surroundings a scorpionfish conceals itself as a piece of Carl [Music] [Applause] [Music] only the slightest movement gives this skilled mimic away this is a bearded scorpionfish a lethal ambush predator and highly toxic it lies motionless waiting the Menace passing prey if it's quick it will open its mouth fast enough to create a vacuum and suck in its prey [Music] it too is partial to a meal of crustacean but the small fish hovering overhead could also be in serious trouble [Music] an unwary cardinalfish doesn't see the now perfectly still danger mist [Music] the scorpion fish concedes defeat and moves on again barely visible in his new location it's a perfect match against the coral but this spot has already taken a quick pinch from a coral crab sends it on its way maybe it's just not his lucky day the glum looking scorpion fish bears a strong family resemblance to its more flamboyant cousin the equally deadly lionfish [Music] better known as the devil firefish in Arabian waters this smooth operator drifts in search of its prey [Music] the lionfish can alter its center of gravity better than most fish thanks to specialized muscles on both sides of its swim bladder it carefully controls its position in the water it's feathery fins conceal the movement of the pelvic fin which can propel it stealthily towards unwary prey this is a useful deception for an ambush predator [Music] it's bright colors and conspicuous patterns signal danger to predators this defensive strategy is known as a prismatic coloration the 13 spectacular dorsal spines are highly toxic its fan-like pectoral fins and those by its tail also pack a deadly punch this is not a carnivore to mess with [Music] the lionfish is usually solitary and will fiercely defend its home range against intruders especially other lionfish but today to swim apparently amiably together adults will occasionally come together to combine their hunting skills this pair may be working cooperatively to corral small fish they spread their pectoral fins wide as they guide their prey towards the rocks where there's no escape it doesn't always work ambush is still the lionfish is most effective hunting strategy [Music] but sometimes catching a meal is as easy as opening their mouths they can create a vacuum and suck up a fish in a split second this one may have swallowed something it doesn't like a big gulp is the fish equivalent of a cough and bony fish will cough up anything that tastes bad or they can't digest lionfish more commonly on at night so these two may have better luck at the end of the day daytime temperatures above the reef can reach a staggering 47 degrees Celsius in the middle of the day it's simply too hot to be active on land under the water where temperatures are still up to 32 degrees Celsius another typically nocturnal carnivore is on the move [Music] this is a crown of thorns an unusually large starfish that can grow to more than one meter in diameter [Music] instead of five radiating arms typical of most starfish this extraordinary predator can grow a staggering 21 it's easy to see where the name comes from hundreds of sharp defensive spines cover its entire body set to resemble Christ's biblical crown of thorns this one is surprisingly agile as it moves across the seafloor looking for prey starfish typically move at a glacial pace of 15 centimeters a minute a small shoal of damselfish and a larger yellowfin grouper can see the predator as it approaches and the crown-of-thorns can see them an eye on the end of each arm can detect shape but no detail [Music] the fish appear to take flight but they quickly return unfazed by the predator in the midst the crown-of-thorns is not interested in them it's after the hard karl beneath them it's tentacles search for the tiny living coral polyps that cover the surface [Music] but this Bush Karl is no longer alive the hard skeleton remains have been taken over by Alby this is now the vegetarian feeding patch of the territorial damselfish a hungry crown of thorns must luck elsewhere [Music] coral reefs are referred to as the gardens of the sea and are often mistaken for plants but they are in fact tiny carnivorous animals they feast on microscopic zooplankton which they catch on the ebb and flow of the sea currents these Carl Gardens beneath ullas domani at islands are dominated by huge Acropora corals [Music] these hard corals are the major reef building species like these spectacular plateaus of staghorn coral branches of beautiful purple sea fans close relatives of coral are also in abundance so too are these teddy bear corals one of the brightest soft corals on this reef [Music] around the world these tiny carnivores face grave danger warming sea temperatures and pollution are causing the dramatic collapse of coral reefs [Music] the water here can reach 32 degrees Celsius hotter than Australia's Great Barrier Reef but while other reefs suffer the devastating effects of coral bleaching in part from rising temperatures the Damania reefs so far remained less affected this may be due to the Indian monsoon that sweeps up through the Arabian Sea in summer bringing with it an upwelling of cold nutrient-rich water to Allen's southern coast off the north coast the Damania islands are protected from the full force of this cold upwelling but benefit from pockets of cooler water moving in as a result sea temperatures here are among the most variable in the world avoiding the constant heat could be helping to keep the corals alive the coral polyps still face danger from predatory carnivores a bleach scar can be evidence of death the perpetrator is already on to its next victim a healthy reef can actually benefit from some damage to the fast-growing Acropora coral by giving slower growing species more space to establish like this brain coral currently occupied by a moray eel come the late afternoon the crown-of-thorns is still on the prowl tiny cardinalfish hitch a ride tucked in amongst the hundreds of black toxic spines these little nocturnal carnivores gain sanctuary with their spite protects her until darkness falls when they too will head out to hunt [Music] [Laughter] [Music] as their host travels over the reef it's long white tubular feet Pro for tasty coral polyps if it finds some it feeds in the most remarkable way it's able to push its entire stomach out through its mouth on its underside to smother the coral stomach enzymes break down the living coral tissue in our kind of soup which the crown-of-thorns then sucks up as it retracts its stomach back in through its mouth this extraordinary tactic allows it to feast five times faster than other starfish it's weaponized arms are prehensile meaning they can grasp or hold on to an object [Music] within a minute the carnivore smothers the coral it's tiny passengers JumpShip and are the equally protective spines of an adjacent sea urchin they're more common hosts [Music] the crown-of-thorns keeps moving on as destructive coral paths but this staghorn coral is already fatally damaged crown-of-thorns often returned to the scene of their feasting crimes to remove any last polyps survivors the hunter has already sucked the life out of this coral evidenced by the algae and fine mucus now coding to skeletal remains [Music] the master of choral mimicry the bearded scorpionfish has found itself a new afternoon dining spot color matched to the brain carl to the rhine only a flicker of an eye reveals its true identity it waits patiently for a nervous shrimp to make a fatal mistake the bearded scorpionfish gets its name from the leafy tassels beneath its wide powerful mouth [Music] known as cirrus they extend across the body breaking up the hard outline allowing it to virtually disappear [Music] something catches its eye a small goby not quite within strike range the hunter makes its move it lacks the gliding ability of it's more elegant relative the lionfish without even a basic swim bladder to control its buoyancy it must use his pectoral fins to stumble across the bumpy reef [Music] like it's relative and also it's land-loving namesake this scorpion has a nasty sting venom glands are concealed at the base of these tasseled fins divers beware if touched this one can inflict intense pain and cause a whole limb to swell in minutes the toxic terror becomes stealthier in its approach but the wily goby is alert to the danger it stays perfectly still to avoid detection the scorpion fish doesn't see the a mobile goby and misses another opportunity to feed [Music] the female zebra shark has spent most of the day alone by late afternoon she has company nearby a male is on the move and looks ready for action with dusk rapidly approaching he may be preparing to hunt [Music] but this one appears to have something else in mind he nibbles the females tail it's the first sign of courtship if he's to succeed in his romantic advances this male will need to keep a firm grasp of the tail to win her over he must be tenacious his love interest won't wait long [Music] zebra shark courtship is seldom witnessed in the wild this encounter offers a rare glimpse into the Sharks private life this male is smaller than his potential partner he's possibly only just reached sexual maturity and is new to the mating game if he's to succeed you will need to be more assertive before mating an experienced male will hold his partner either by the tail or pectoral fin for several minutes then he must twist her onto her back but this one hasn't got past first base yet [Music] at last he gets the tail now he has to spin her over [Music] in the end the young Romeo gives up if she's made it in the past the female may not need him remarkably zebra sharks are able to reproduce long after mating takes place giving the impression of nature's own Immaculate Conception but it's not unusual among sharks for females to store sperm for several years as the daylight begins to fade other nocturnal carnivores prepared to hunt again - stingrays circle the seafloor these are cow tail stingrays they rest in twos or threes for protection but are solitary hunters the two don't stay together for long [Music] Cal tell stingrays have tapering flag like tails and triangular pectoral fins [Music] the council hunts for crustaceans and molluscs this stingray is also partial to a bony fish especially those that lie on the sea floor a flatfish is a perfect target this one is a soul a favorite on both human and cow tail menus [Music] eyes on the top side of its body keep watch for danger and edges itself slowly away from a perceived threat using its filament fins to push itself across the sand [Music] by day the soul either digs itself under the sand to hide or lies perfectly still using its expert camouflage to melt into its surroundings [Music] this one is eager to escape but is careful to avoid alerting the Stingray to its location [Music] this fish has a sting in its own proverbial tail 200 glands along its fins excrete a toxic substance that acts as a shark and Ray repellent if the Stingray makes contact the soul will unleash the chemical disrupting the Predators gills causing it to flee but the soul avoids detection this time the second stingray lacks the billowing tail flag of its companion most likely a casualty of a hammerhead or Requiem shark attack some species of stingray can regrow a lost venomous barb [Music] the Stingray drifts off through shoals of chromis these another diurnal fish will soon seek shelter within the reef crevices and overhangs to avoid the other emerging nocturnal predators the day is drawing to a close light fades fast beneath the waves [Music] a solitary lionfish cruises the reef at the start of its nightly hunt it's long toxic thin filaments radiates like streamers to keep predators at bay the refills eerily empty as it swims with purpose over a vast colony of Bush Carl at each crevice the lionfish simply watches and waits [Music] [Music] finally it's patience pays off it gets its first meal of the night [Music] the zebra shark sets off on her own quest for food [Music] in the dying light she doesn't need to see her prey she can smell it up to two-thirds of a shark's brain is made of a smell sensors known as olfactory lobes moving her head as she swims helps to detect the exact direction of where to find a crab or shrimp [Music] tonight she will hunt without company as she disappears into the darkness a magnificent carnivore among the coral garden [Music] you

Channel: Roberto Channel

Views: 433,724

Rating: 4.6443024 out of 5

Keywords: Carnivores of the Coral Garden Nature 2018 HD Documentary, Deep Sea

Id: 7cIBOLFCxYg

Length: 48min 3sec (2883 seconds)

Published: Thu Mar 29 2018