Toxic Algae Transforms Australia’s Coral Reefs into Graveyards
Greetings to you! Stunned by rotting razer clams, ecologist Scott Bennett saw hundreds upon hundreds of them in South Australia. He said, “100% of them were dead and wasting away on the bottom.”
It’s been since March of this year, a destructive algal bloom, brought on by a marine heat wave, has been strangling the coastline of South Australia. The earlier colorful reefs, marine life, and their healthy ecosystems have now turned into underwater graveyards.
Observations on the citizen science site iNaturalist said, “The bloom has killed about 15,000 animals from over 450 species. They include longfinned worm eels, surf crabs, warty prowfish, leafy seadragons, hairy mussels and common bottlenose dolphins. The algae have poisoned more than 4,500 square kilometers (1,737 square miles) of the state’s waters – an area larger than Rhode Island – littering beaches with carcasses and ravaging an area known for its diversity.”
According to a report by the Biodiversity Council, an expert group founded by 11 Australian universities, “It’s one of the worst marine disasters in living memory .The toxic algal bloom has devastated South Australia’s fishing industry and repelled beachgoers, serving as a stark warning of what happens when climate change goes unchecked. Once a bloom begins, there is no way of stopping it.”
Scott Bennett explained, “This shouldn’t be treated as an isolated event. This is symptomatic of climate driven impacts that we’re seeing across Australia due to climate change.”
An Alien Yellow Foam Invades the Sea
In March, dozens of surfers at beaches outside Gulf St Vincent, about an hour south of state capital Adelaide, said they, experienced “a sore throat, dry cough and blurred vision after emerging from the sea.”
“Shortly after, a mysterious yellow foam appeared in the surf. Then, dead marine animals started washing up.”
Scientists at the University of Technology Sydney quickly confirmed the villain was, “a buildup of a tiny planktonic algae called Karenia mikimotoi. And it was spreading.”
Spreading to Kangaroo Island, a popular eco-tourism destination, into the Coorong lagoon. And by July, it had reached the beaches of Adelaide.
“Diverse algae are essential to healthy marine ecosystems, converting carbon dioxide into oxygen and benefiting organisms all the way up the food chain, from sea sponges and crabs to whales. But too much of one specific type of algae can be toxic, causing a harmful algal bloom, also sometimes known as a red tide.”
“While Karenia mikimotoi does not cause long-term harm to humans, it can damage the gills of fish and shellfish, preventing them from breathing. Algal blooms can also cause discoloration in the water and block sunlight from coming in, harming ecosystems.”
Bennett continued and said, “The Great Southern Reef is a haven for really unique biodiversity. About 70% of the species that live there are endemic to the area, he said, meaning they are found nowhere else in the world. For these species, once they’re gone, they’re gone.”
“While more mobile fish can move to cleaner waters during an algal bloom, invertebrates like shellfish and sea stars, and other species associated with the reef, are suffocated by toxic algae.”
The report said, “The last time a harmful agal bloom swept South Australia was in 2014, but it was much more localized. Toxic algal blooms are naturally occurring and are common around the world, including in the US. But climate change is making them more frequent and more severe.”
Here’s an Excellent Way to Talk to Kids with “Soft Facts” about Climate Change and Pollution …
One awesome tool for talking to kids about climate change and pollution is to read my fourth installment in the award-winning Kobee Manatee® Children’s Educational Picture Book series. It’s titled, Kobee Manatee® Climate Change and The Great Blue Hole Hazard. It contains “soft facts” about climate change and plastic pollution in our oceans.
When you read this award-winning educational picture book to children, it’s a fun and fictional adventure loaded with weaved in “soft facts” on climate change and plastic pollution. This quickly helps children learn about this serious subject in a fun and entertaining way. Here’s a brief synopsis …
Kobee Manatee, the protagonist and his seafaring pals, Tess the seahorse and Pablo the hermit crab swim from the Cayman Islands to Belize. Kobee wants to help his cousin Quinn clean up plastic litter at her new, all-veggie underwater bistro called Quinn’s Seagrass Café.
On their Caribbean journey they encounter harmful effects of climate change and plastic pollution. As if that wasn’t enough, several other unforeseen problems occur with a distressed loggerhead turtle, a giant Portuguese man-of-war, and a venomous scorpionfish. They’re all amazed when they discover the extraordinary Great Blue Hole. Then their adventure takes another crazy turn when Pablo plunges into its huge abyss!
Each page includes in-depth, scientific details on climate change and plastic pollution in our oceans with Dr. Tracy Fanara, NOAA Research Scientist (aka Inspector Planet). Tracy can be seen on The Weather Channel as a visiting expert and she’s also seen on their “Weird Earth” segments.
We have Fantastic Reviews on this New Release!
“I read the book to my 6-year-old this morning while he was having his breakfast before school and he loved it! We talked about the characters, what it meant for the pollution to be in the oceans for all the sea creatures, and how fun the story was. Thank you so much for writing such a great story for kids that is not only entertaining, but has a message!” – Jessica Vilchis, Co-Host KNBC California Live
“A well-crafted, thoughtful, and well-illustrated addition to a noteworthy educational book series.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Robert Scott Thayer presents an important environmental message in an engaging story with wonderful characters. Anyone who loves the ocean and wants to help save it should read Kobee Manatee: Climate Change and The Great Blue Hole Hazard. I’m looking forward to the next Kobee Manatee adventure.” —Readers’ Favorite
For young readers who enjoy imaginative tales surrounding affable and heroic sea creatures, as well as parents and/or teachers looking for a way to introduce youngsters to the importance of marine conservation, Kobee Manatee® Climate Change and The Great Blue Hole Hazard offers a perfect blend. Highly recommended! – Chanticleer Book Reviews
Keep watching for more of my updates on climate change!
If you see any sick or injured manatees, please call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at: 1-888-404-3922 (FWCC). They are the folks who are responsible for rescuing us in Florida.
Here’s the Save the Manatee Club link to learn more about us manatees …
Here’s a cool link for you to learn more about how we’re rescued and brought into rehabilitation …
~ Robert Scott Thayer
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