Diving into the biodiversity of Malpelo Island's underwater world
Diving into the biodiversity of Malpelo Island's underwater world
The waters off Malpelo Island, Colombia, are home to a diverse marine life, which includes the scalloped hammerhead shark.
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Transcript
Five hundred kilometers from the Colombian mainland. Over water, Malpelo gives the impression that the island is a barren rock. Only a few lichens and mosses cover the volcanic rock that rises from 4,000 meters' water depth, while offering a unique picture of diversity under water. Numerous species of fish inhabit this fascinating world that can only be visited with the express permission of the Colombian Ministry of Ecology.
Particularly in March a unique sight is offered. Huge schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks gather around Malpelo. The animals are between two and maximum 3.5 meters long and colored in olive bronze to light brown. In contrast to this, the belly is white. At night, they go hunting for squid in the open sea. Herrings and mackerels, as well as barracudas and other diminutive species of sharks belong to their prey. During the day the sharks congregate in schools, which can reach impressive sizes. Although the sharks like using the protection of the schools during sleep to circle around the island, they actually are loners. The scalloped hammerhead is, like all hammerhead sharks, classified as potentially dangerous for humans. The behavior towards the human is usually shy and not aggressively influenced. Despite all of that, caution with wild animals is always appropriate. The shark is hunted commercially as well as being hunted in sports fishing. Many animals die as by catch in trawls. The importance of sharks to the ecosystem becomes more and more clear to the people. Sharks are at the top of the food chain and eat old, sick prey. They are the rangers of the seas. Without them the ecological balance will be destroyed.
Off the coast of Mexico, the population of squid was increased so strongly, that authorities demanded the protection of sharks. The shark, as a natural predator of squid, should end the plague. Malpelo was declared a protected area. This type of hammerhead shark is classified as critically endangered. At Malpelo they get a second chance. Because of the isolation from the mainland, the ecosystem around the Malpelo Island is still in its original state. Numerous species of fish inhabit this fascinating world. Precisely because of its remoteness, Malpelo belongs to one of the few places where undisturbed impressive schools of silky sharks gather. Exhausted from the hunting at night they orbit the island asleep in protection of these schools. Even a school of tuna, one of the sharks favorite prey turn their rounds here. But the sharks are not interested. They continue to sleep with their eyes open, because they only wake up at night and with them their instinct of hunting. Even the juvenile barracudas sleep in the shelter of these schools. These organizations may include several thousand animals and successfully hunt through our seas for millions of years.
Moray eels mostly live in caves and only leave their shelters to hunt at night. The porous basalt stone accommodates many naturally grown cave systems that provide the ideal conditions for sedentary animals. Often groups of 15 eels dwell side by side and crowd close together out of a hole. Many representatives of the species-rich coral groupers and hawkfish live here. The hawkfish is known for being alert on its pectoral fins until he suddenly makes a jump and lands on another coral. Seabats are among the species that are utilizing the stony ground as camouflage so they are difficult to detect. They are only found here and on the Cocos. They are very shy. Another native species is the Malpelo blenny. Even the lobster occur in large numbers. The stone floor and the cave systems offer him a perfect habitat. A true paradise for many species from puffer fish to the numerous barber butterfly fish, which are forced back in the schools of fish by the strong current.
Particularly in March a unique sight is offered. Huge schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks gather around Malpelo. The animals are between two and maximum 3.5 meters long and colored in olive bronze to light brown. In contrast to this, the belly is white. At night, they go hunting for squid in the open sea. Herrings and mackerels, as well as barracudas and other diminutive species of sharks belong to their prey. During the day the sharks congregate in schools, which can reach impressive sizes. Although the sharks like using the protection of the schools during sleep to circle around the island, they actually are loners. The scalloped hammerhead is, like all hammerhead sharks, classified as potentially dangerous for humans. The behavior towards the human is usually shy and not aggressively influenced. Despite all of that, caution with wild animals is always appropriate. The shark is hunted commercially as well as being hunted in sports fishing. Many animals die as by catch in trawls. The importance of sharks to the ecosystem becomes more and more clear to the people. Sharks are at the top of the food chain and eat old, sick prey. They are the rangers of the seas. Without them the ecological balance will be destroyed.
Off the coast of Mexico, the population of squid was increased so strongly, that authorities demanded the protection of sharks. The shark, as a natural predator of squid, should end the plague. Malpelo was declared a protected area. This type of hammerhead shark is classified as critically endangered. At Malpelo they get a second chance. Because of the isolation from the mainland, the ecosystem around the Malpelo Island is still in its original state. Numerous species of fish inhabit this fascinating world. Precisely because of its remoteness, Malpelo belongs to one of the few places where undisturbed impressive schools of silky sharks gather. Exhausted from the hunting at night they orbit the island asleep in protection of these schools. Even a school of tuna, one of the sharks favorite prey turn their rounds here. But the sharks are not interested. They continue to sleep with their eyes open, because they only wake up at night and with them their instinct of hunting. Even the juvenile barracudas sleep in the shelter of these schools. These organizations may include several thousand animals and successfully hunt through our seas for millions of years.
Moray eels mostly live in caves and only leave their shelters to hunt at night. The porous basalt stone accommodates many naturally grown cave systems that provide the ideal conditions for sedentary animals. Often groups of 15 eels dwell side by side and crowd close together out of a hole. Many representatives of the species-rich coral groupers and hawkfish live here. The hawkfish is known for being alert on its pectoral fins until he suddenly makes a jump and lands on another coral. Seabats are among the species that are utilizing the stony ground as camouflage so they are difficult to detect. They are only found here and on the Cocos. They are very shy. Another native species is the Malpelo blenny. Even the lobster occur in large numbers. The stone floor and the cave systems offer him a perfect habitat. A true paradise for many species from puffer fish to the numerous barber butterfly fish, which are forced back in the schools of fish by the strong current.