(text-colour:white)[The cold waters of False Bay is home to many unique species. It is an incredibly active site for life to thrive.]
Our beautiful coast is made of a variety of ecosystems, these include the:
* (text-colour:#1f355e)[[kelp forest]]
* (text-colour:#1f355e)[[rocky reef]]
* (text-colour:#1f355e)[[sandy bottom]]
Rocks are a stable substrate, perfect for attachment. It is used by (text-colour:#c4a11c)[[sessile]] and slow-moving organisms.
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</div>These prickly plant-eaters are called Cape urchins.
If there are too many of them, they can wipe out kelp populations. This leads to barren rocks.
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A healthy rocky ecosystem should have a (text-colour:#c4a11c)[[diverse]] range of organisms. Many fish found in our cold waters are silvery in colour. This silver colour helps them blend in with the greenery of the kelp and the blue of the ocean through reflection.
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This is not the only form of camouflage. The (text-colour:#c4a11c)[[African penguin]] makes use of counter-shading.
Suited in black and white, their black posterior blends in with the deep blue waters from predators above, and their white anterior blends in with the sun-lit surface waters.
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Thankfully we can easily see these birds waddling on our shores, much like another lovable, charismatic individual, the (text-colour:#c4a11c)[[Cape fur seal]].Although they are known as seals, they are not technically true seals. Unlike their relatives, they have external ears and are more closely related to sea lions.
Fur seals are much more friendly than true seals, thats why they are seen as the puppies of the ocean.
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Some animals aren't as friendly. This is true for all (text-colour:#c4a11c)[[jellyfish]].These gigantic, oceanic plants known as sea bamboo, form the base of a kelp forest ecosystem.
We harvest these plants for a substance called alginate. This is used in many products such as sauces, ice cream, and tablets.
It is a very useful substance, but kelp is simply important for many invertebrates and (text-colour:#c4a11c)[[schools of fish]] for shelter, protection and food.
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</div>Despite looking like life is lacking in this region, if you look closely you can find animals buried underneath or simply blending in with the sand.
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Some of these can be small sea slugs, like the Cape dorid above, or it can be large, like the (text-colour:#c4a11c)[[stingray]].Spiny sea stars were originally called starfish, but they are not fish.
These ferocious predators feed on a variety of invertebrates. Some of these include mussels and (text-colour:#c4a11c)[[urchins]].
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</div>Stingrays are gentle animals. They will only harm you if they feel threatened. So admire this gentle giant from a safe distance.
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Some smaller animals like the (text-colour:#c4a11c)[[brittle star]] can be viewed from a closer distance, and even be touched. It's not only our invertebrates that adorn a range of colours, but some (text-colour:#c4a11c)[[fish]] too.
This dark shyshark blends in with its surroundings. When it is not swimming, it can be difficult to spot.
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</div>Jellyfish has stinging cells known as nematocysts/cnidocysts at the end of their tentacles.
They can leave a painful sting, so its best to watch them from a distance.
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Jellyfish float around the fronds of kelp, but most of the life in kelp forests are found at the base of these plants, also known as the (text-colour:#c4a11c)[[holdfasts]].These plant-like animals are called anemones. It is related to the jellyfish.
Thankfully, its sting is less powerful and do not harm us (unless you are a small fish or shrimp, then you would be paralyzed and eaten).
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Another slow individual is the (text-colour:#c4a11c)[[abalone]].Brittle stars are the fastest moving sea stars. Their fragile arms break off easily, but luckily for them, they can regenerate their arms.
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Not all animals are as agile, but speed is not the only way to survive. (text-colour:#c4a11c)[[Size matters]]!It is a lot difficult to spot smaller animals.
A great way to survive, is if you can't be seen.
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Most nudibranchs are small. This is a simple way to avoid predation. But when they are on the (text-colour:#c4a11c)[[rocky reef]] or in the (text-colour:#c4a11c)[[kelp forest]] they tend to use bright colours to warn predators that they are unpalatable.Slow moving and slow growing, its takes 7 years for the abalone to mature.
Due to poaching, the abalone population has drastically declined.
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Not all animals on the rocks are as slow and steady. Some like the (text-colour:#c4a11c)[[spiny sea star]] are fast, ferocious predators.The holdfast acts as "roots" by attaching the kelp to the rock. But it does not absorb nutrients as land plants.
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Holdfasts are perfect habitats for small invertebrates to settle in. These invertebrates cannot survive on the (text-colour:#c4a11c)[[sandy bottom]] and must compete for space on the (text-colour:#c4a11c)[[rocky reef]].Most fish species along our coast are silvery. But some like the klipvis can come in a range of colours.
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This display of colours is also seen in the (text-colour:#c4a11c)[[kelp forest]], but it is not usually seen on the (text-colour:#c4a11c)[[sandy bottom]]. However, it does not mean that the animals found there are not camouflaged.