Page 17 - Guide to the Oceans

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Giant lulp w,, 9raw up '" 2 ft (0.6 mJ fn lnr:,th n ·ny Jay. This gr.1"1l1 · rau /J 11/•cst 111 quidt tu 1f,111t bam~. tit~ /mtat-,r'"'·in1 p/,1n1

· on land. SiJ/1 am1/,s sue/, as tlitsr Europem, dead m111J 's finsrn grow Ill farJ colcmil!J. H1111J"J1. of individual /ttdi119 heads. called pqlyps (It/I),_ Colorful anro,ones ofttn form port of the 1111dngroU'lh in l:.clp forests. Thrir stinJinJ ltntadn can (OplllT( flt1alf fiJ/1 a11J slui•ps.

Californian giant kelp forests are home to the delightful sea oner. These charming creatures arc vital predators of kelp pests. Diving down 10 the seabed !his oner (below) has collected a sea urchin. cracked It open with a rock ?"~ is now busy munching into IIS t~sty ms,des. Without 1he otters. sea urchins can overgraze and destroy large areas Anemones. sponges, and sea squ

SEA OTTERS ol kelp lores!. PLANT-LIKE ANIMALS · many such animals. ANtl\1AL HOMES

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1 SEAHORSES
MEADOWS ny European I ma ITHIN EASY REACH of the teeming bu st1 C O tranquil forests. . , , . ·d · 11 kelp can l 'f • H<1rbor sNII (right) rcrt ,md p/11}' in tht I.tip fo• ml. i,ifrfn•m//1 rprtJ,1t1 1 T}' di,trb th,11 p.ttrol tl1t "P'" 11',ltrn: Jar1l1er out to SM. SAFE HAVEN but their mother does not look alter 1hem. In 1he open ocean, 1h

DK GUIDE TO THE OCEANS FORESTS AND . . . W and American Ctttes. there arc unmcnsc, Tlwst' forests lie not on land but under the sea all d arc fonnc by ~iant seawt·eds known as kelp. Giant Ca I ornia reach nearly 197 ft (60 m) long. These huge plants provide a habitat for a wide variety of fish. which in turn are hunted by seals. sea lions. and dolphins. Kelp forests gro

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