Giant Sea Snail Hunting Crown-of-thorns Starfish
Category
🐳
AnimalsTranscript
00:00 Australia's Great Barrier Reef is a wonder of the natural world.
00:07 Yet, it's under threat.
00:14 Rising sea temperatures, attributed to global warming, are killing off the corals that give
00:19 the reef its structure.
00:25 Adding to the peril is a natural-born coral killer.
00:32 At around 30 inches in diameter, an individual crown-of-thorns starfish can devour up to
00:45 30 square feet of coral in a single year.
00:50 Which might not sound like much, but when present in vast numbers, the results are catastrophic.
01:00 And these sea creatures produce more offspring than any other marine organism on earth.
01:10 Each female develops over 50 million eggs in a breeding season.
01:20 From the age of six months, the diet of juvenile starfish is comprised almost entirely of coral.
01:36 Its characteristic venomous spines protect it from most predators.
01:43 En masse, they are a force to be reckoned with.
02:01 Yet for the reef, there is hope on the horizon.
02:06 An unlikely predator.
02:09 The giant triton, one of the ocean's largest sea snails.
02:17 Tritons can measure over a foot and a half from tip to tail.
02:27 This giant gastropod feeds upon sea cucumbers and sea stars.
02:38 The crown-of-thorns starfish seems to be one of its favorite foods.
02:49 When hunting, the triton uses scent trails to track its prey.
02:55 But it's not the only one with an acute sense of smell.
03:01 The starfish senses the approaching threat and attempts to flee.
03:15 The triton gives chase.
03:21 It may appear that these creatures are going nowhere fast.
03:26 But make no mistake, this is an active pursuit.
03:31 A race to the death.
03:40 With nowhere to hide, the starfish relies on its venomous spines as a last line of defense.
03:53 Yet the starfish's defenses offer little deterrent to the persistent predator.
04:02 Giant tritons have developed a tolerance to the starfish's toxins.
04:09 And their saliva contains a paralyzing agent which brings the pursuit to an abrupt halt.
04:17 This hard-fought meal is now ready for consumption.
04:24 It uses a serrated organ known as a radula to lacerate the soft tissue between the starfish's
04:31 spines.
04:34 Then sucks the life from its paralyzed victim, leaving little behind but an empty husk.
04:45 But as is the nature of a sea snail, it's in no hurry.
04:51 [MUSIC PLAYING]