Antarctica, First Published Jan 15, 2022, 1:21 PM IST
Researchers exploring the shores of the Antarctic Ocean have discovered an icefish colony. Surprisingly, it is about a third the size of London. Six crore active nests were discovered by a team of biologists during a routine survey at an altitude of one and a half to two and a half meters off Antarctica’s southwest coast. Earlier the colony in this area had only 60 cages. Six crore cages have now been found in its place.
“During the first four hours of our inspection, we found nothing but fish,” said Otten Prowser, of the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research in Germany. This is clear from a study published in Current Biology. Scientists have taken pictures and video of it using the methods and cameras used to conduct surveys at sea. It was 2C hotter here than in the surrounding areas.
The fisherman says the fish may have used the hot water as a navigation tool to help track the colony. “When they feel like they need to be regenerated, they look for this hot water and get there,” he said. This colony of icefish is the largest ever discovered, spanning more than 150 miles (240 km) of coastline. The size of the colony indicates that these nests have affected the entire Weddell marine habitat. The seals are likely to eat these fish, Porscher said. If you lose the shells, you probably lose the seals as well. Parser also says that a large habitat should be around the same.
The cameras will monitor the habitat for the next two years. It will also try to determine how it works and how it interacts with other habitats. The researchers plan to return to the area in April 2022 to survey the surrounding water and see if the fish are breeding again in the same cages.
Last Updated Jan 15, 2022, 1:21 PM IST
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