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Description

22 year old D2- Ummi with her 2 year old son D27- Dex playing 'tug of war' with kelp in Tasmania's giant kelp forest.

Researchers have observed D Pod migrating along the entire southern coast of Australia, often traveling all the way to Antarctica. Every time they make the journey, they always stop by the famous giant kelp forests along Tasmania's east coast to play and rest before leaving.

Since Ummi was a calf, she has been an extremely playful individual of D Pod and it seems she has passed on this nature to her son and her 7 year old daughter, D23- Nyla. It seems all of the pod members find enjoyment from the kelp, but Ummi in particular seems to love it. She always has some kelp with her while in the forest and often takes some with her when they leave. She has been observed carrying and playing with the stolen kelp for several days after leaving the forest.

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Giant kelp is the largest marine plant in the world and can grow as tall as 45 meters (147 ft ). Unfortunately since the 1940's, Tasmania's famous giant kelp forest has declined 95% due to climate change.
So why is such a rapid climate change occurring on Tasmania’s east coast? Any fans of the movie Finding Nemo will know about the East Australian Current (the “EAC”). It was the EAC that brought Nemo down from the Great Barrier Reef to Sydney. Essentially, the EAC intensity is increasing and as a result, warmer, more nutrient poor waters are arriving in Tasmania. The warmer, nutrient poor waters create sub optimal conditions for giant kelp growth. Add to this, the arrival of non-native local species (of which more than 40 have been identified as being brought down with the warmer waters of the intensifying EAC) and the ecosytem is starting to strain. Of these non-native species, perhaps the one that is having the most significant impact is the long spined sea urchin. This urchin is a voracious eater and is stripping the east coasts sea beds of life, creating barren landscapes, void of sponges, algae and life.Learn more: divebuzz.com/the-demise-of-tas…

Description

22 year old D2- Ummi with her 2 year old son D27- Dex playing 'tug of war' with kelp in Tasmania's giant kelp forest.

Researchers have observed D Pod migrating along the entire southern coast of Australia, often traveling all the way to Antarctica. Every time they make the journey, they always stop by the famous giant kelp forests along Tasmania's east coast to play and rest before leaving.

Since Ummi was a calf, she has been an extremely playful individual of D Pod and it seems she has passed on this nature to her son and her 7 year old daughter, D23- Nyla. It seems all of the pod members find enjoyment from the kelp, but Ummi in particular seems to love it. She always has some kelp with her while in the forest and often takes some with her when they leave. She has been observed carrying and playing with the stolen kelp for several days after leaving the forest.

_______________________________________________

Giant kelp is the largest marine plant in the world and can grow as tall as 45 meters (147 ft ). Unfortunately since the 1940's, Tasmania's famous giant kelp forest has declined 95% due to climate change.
So why is such a rapid climate change occurring on Tasmania’s east coast? Any fans of the movie Finding Nemo will know about the East Australian Current (the “EAC”). It was the EAC that brought Nemo down from the Great Barrier Reef to Sydney. Essentially, the EAC intensity is increasing and as a result, warmer, more nutrient poor waters are arriving in Tasmania. The warmer, nutrient poor waters create sub optimal conditions for giant kelp growth. Add to this, the arrival of non-native local species (of which more than 40 have been identified as being brought down with the warmer waters of the intensifying EAC) and the ecosytem is starting to strain. Of these non-native species, perhaps the one that is having the most significant impact is the long spined sea urchin. This urchin is a voracious eater and is stripping the east coasts sea beds of life, creating barren landscapes, void of sponges, algae and life.Learn more: divebuzz.com/the-demise-of-tas…