Naked Oceans

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11th Feb 2011

Sex on the Sea Bed

(c) Helen Scales
Helen Scales

Sarah Castor-Perry
Aurelia aurita

Valentines Day is here and this month on Naked Oceans we reveal some of the unusual mating habits of ocean animals. How do they track down a mate in the enormous oceans? What happens if they are stuck firmly in place on the sea floor? And what does all this mean for our efforts to protect ocean life?

We find out what happens when the animals that build coral reefs take part in a huge, synchronised love-in. We call in on the Cayman Islands to discover how the spawning habits of many fish put them in grave danger of being overfished. And we find out how jellyfish make more jellyfish and whether these prolific beasties really are going to take over the oceans.

Plus, we find out from a gender-bending Critter of the Month what life is like being both a male then female.

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News

(c) (c) Wolcott Henry 2005/Marine Photobank

Oysters in trouble

Oysters are considered to be a culinary delicacy, but a new piece of research has found that 85% of all oyster reefs have been lost globally.

(c) P. Rona. NOAA

World's first deep-sea mine

Papua New Guinea gives go ahead for the world's first deep-sea mine. Expert calls for urgent conservation plans.


Interviews

(c) Boogies with fish

Critter of the Month - Clown Anemone Fish

A gender-bending critter reveals what life is like as a male and then female.

(c) Tihomir Makovec

Secret sex lives of Jellyfish

How do jellyfish find each other to have sex and make more jellyfish? And are these prolific beasties really on the rise around the oceans today?

(c) NOAA

Coral reef mass spawning

Coral reefs have evolved a spectacular solution to the problem of having sex while being rooted firmly to the seabed.

(c) Colin Zylka/Marine Photobank

A mating problem for Nassau groupers

When thousands of Nassau groupers gather to mate on Caribbean coral reefs, fishermen find them an irresistible target.




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