Скачать или смотреть Broadclub Cuttlefish Laying Eggs Raja Ampat

Just a few days ago, around a sunset dive... we were fortunate enough to witness this very special moment; 2 broadclub cuttlefish laying their eggs, on a protected reef just below Yaf Keru. To see this behaviour, means that in the past few weeks a male cuttlefish would have moved in and established territory over this particular coral colony/area, and deemed it suitable for egg laying (we are actually pretty sure we have seen him this area quite a bit lately).

After egg fertilisation, which occurs externally after mating, the female lays her eggs deep among the coral branches - as seen in this video - where they harden, becoming more difficult to remove. These eggs, which 1.8-2cm in diameter, are also transparent... meaning the young cuttlefish can be seen growing inside 🙂 And after approx 40 days... hundreds of juvenile cuttlefish, tiny replicas of their parents at just 14mm (incl arms of just 2mm!), will hatch and begin their life on the reefs of Raja Ampat.

We hope to be able to view the eggs without disturbing them, and if we are lucky enough.. spot these little ones hatching, just as we did the their mamas laying!
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Apart from being fortunate enough to see this behaviour... it is so rewarding and reaffirming for our team to know that the reefs selected by these cuttlefish for territory, mating and egg laying, are those that we protect through Yaf Keru. Located just at the bottom of a vast rubble slope, which was stabilised and transplanted with coral fragments a year ago, this coral would otherwise have been smothered by the ever encroaching avalanche of rubble, caused by human interference long ago, deeming it completely unsuitable cuttlefish egg laying.

Thankyou to the cuttlefish and Mother Nature for giving us a little sign we are on the right track (we value your feedback beyond all other!), and thankyou to all that have support Yaf Keru so far 🙂 .. none of this is possible without you!

To find out more about our reef restoration work, visit https://theseapeople.org/yaf-keru-ree...