"A lot of people just don’t realise what we have in our blue backyard on the Southern shores of Australia, and how precious that is."
Dr Elodie Camprasse is a Research Fellow at Deakin University and citizen science project lead with 'Spider Crab Watch'.
Every winter, spider crabs gather in huge underwater piles along Australia’s southern shores. The spectacular gatherings attract considerable attention, even featuring in a BBC documentary, but scientists know very little about the species. How many spider crabs are there? Where do they go after they disperse? What signals to the crabs that it is time to come together? Why do the crabs congregate in one location for several consecutive years then not return?
Listen as Elodie discusses these mysterious creatures and the importance of the Great Southern Reef.
The Ecological Society of Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. Elodie works on the lands of the Wurundjeri, Wadawurrung and Bunurong peoples of the Eastern Kulin.
Help the ESA support ecology in Australia by donating (www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/donate/donation-form) or by becoming a member (www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/become-a-member).
The music in this podcast is ‘Glow’ by Scott Buckley - www.scottbuckley.com.au.
Episode image credit: Elodie Camprasse.
