Fish “Walks” on Beach to Spawn | National Geographic

during the day Southern California

during the day Southern California beaches are populated with people

beaches are populated with people

beaches are populated with people seeking fun in the Sun but at night just

seeking fun in the Sun but at night just

seeking fun in the Sun but at night just shortly after a full moon when most of

shortly after a full moon when most of

shortly after a full moon when most of the people are away these beaches are

the people are away these beaches are

the people are away these beaches are populated with small fish coming to

populated with small fish coming to

populated with small fish coming to frolic but in a different way the fish

frolic but in a different way the fish

frolic but in a different way the fish is the California grunion and they come

is the California grunion and they come

is the California grunion and they come to the beach to spawn every spring in

to the beach to spawn every spring in

to the beach to spawn every spring in summer they flock to Pacific beaches

summer they flock to Pacific beaches

summer they flock to Pacific beaches mostly from Punta abre ojos Mexico to

mostly from Punta abre ojos Mexico to

mostly from Punta abre ojos Mexico to Santa Barbara California

Santa Barbara California

Santa Barbara California the grandin are kind of our poster

the grandin are kind of our poster

the grandin are kind of our poster children for the beach ecosystem they’re

children for the beach ecosystem they’re

children for the beach ecosystem they’re an animal that everybody knows about at

an animal that everybody knows about at

an animal that everybody knows about at least here in California and they’re an

least here in California and they’re an

least here in California and they’re an animal that people really like because

animal that people really like because

animal that people really like because here’s an animal that kind of does what

here’s an animal that kind of does what

here’s an animal that kind of does what we do it goes to the beach to have a

we do it goes to the beach to have a

we do it goes to the beach to have a good time just like we do someone’s seen

good time just like we do someone’s seen

good time just like we do someone’s seen this scene might think it’s a mass

this scene might think it’s a mass

this scene might think it’s a mass stranding but National Geographic

stranding but National Geographic

stranding but National Geographic grantee and Pepperdine University

grantee and Pepperdine University

grantee and Pepperdine University biologist Karen Martin says it’s all

biologist Karen Martin says it’s all

biologist Karen Martin says it’s all according to plan it’s a very

according to plan it’s a very

according to plan it’s a very interesting fateful biological

interesting fateful biological

interesting fateful biological standpoint it has some really unique

standpoint it has some really unique

standpoint it has some really unique features the fact that it comes fully

features the fact that it comes fully

features the fact that it comes fully out of the water to spawn on the beach

out of the water to spawn on the beach

out of the water to spawn on the beach just really unusual there’s other fish

just really unusual there’s other fish

just really unusual there’s other fish that spawn on beaches but none to the

that spawn on beaches but none to the

that spawn on beaches but none to the completing sent it they grind into the

completing sent it they grind into the

completing sent it they grind into the female begins the process by digging

female begins the process by digging

female begins the process by digging into the sand to deposit her eggs the

into the sand to deposit her eggs the

into the sand to deposit her eggs the male wraps himself around the female and

male wraps himself around the female and

male wraps himself around the female and bodies entwined fertilizes the eggs

bodies entwined fertilizes the eggs

bodies entwined fertilizes the eggs after spawning most of the adult fish

after spawning most of the adult fish

after spawning most of the adult fish make it back into the ocean leaving the

make it back into the ocean leaving the

make it back into the ocean leaving the eggs to develop and hatch within about

eggs to develop and hatch within about

eggs to develop and hatch within about two weeks

two weeks

two weeks the entire cycle is based on the tides

the entire cycle is based on the tides

the entire cycle is based on the tides which are affected by the phases of the

which are affected by the phases of the

which are affected by the phases of the Moon grunions make their runs when the

Moon grunions make their runs when the

Moon grunions make their runs when the tides are highest at night and during

tides are highest at night and during

tides are highest at night and during new or full moons the lower tides that

new or full moons the lower tides that

new or full moons the lower tides that follow for the next several days allow

follow for the next several days allow

follow for the next several days allow the eggs to develop and the sand

the eggs to develop and the sand

the eggs to develop and the sand protects them and at high tide about

protects them and at high tide about

protects them and at high tide about nine days after spawning the embryos are

nine days after spawning the embryos are

nine days after spawning the embryos are washed free before hatching the small

washed free before hatching the small

washed free before hatching the small grunion is near the bottom of the food

grunion is near the bottom of the food

grunion is near the bottom of the food chain far less than 1% will survive from

chain far less than 1% will survive from

chain far less than 1% will survive from egg to adulthood but humans pose the

egg to adulthood but humans pose the

egg to adulthood but humans pose the greatest threat human population of the

greatest threat human population of the

greatest threat human population of the spawning seacoast has increased 700

spawning seacoast has increased 700

spawning seacoast has increased 700 percent since the 1920s when the first

percent since the 1920s when the first

percent since the 1920s when the first regulations to protect the fish were

regulations to protect the fish were

regulations to protect the fish were created catching grunion is legal during

created catching grunion is legal during

created catching grunion is legal during certain times of the year but no gear or

certain times of the year but no gear or

certain times of the year but no gear or net is allowed only bare hands can be

net is allowed only bare hands can be

net is allowed only bare hands can be used but a large group of hunters can

used but a large group of hunters can

used but a large group of hunters can disrupt or even stop a run and nearly

disrupt or even stop a run and nearly

disrupt or even stop a run and nearly every fish that arrives may be caught

every fish that arrives may be caught

every fish that arrives may be caught and beach preservation projects such as

and beach preservation projects such as

and beach preservation projects such as using bulldozers and large rakes to

using bulldozers and large rakes to

using bulldozers and large rakes to groom the sand can be deadly to grunion

groom the sand can be deadly to grunion

groom the sand can be deadly to grunion nests it was concerned that our beach

nests it was concerned that our beach

nests it was concerned that our beach grooming practices for harming the

grooming practices for harming the

grooming practices for harming the grunion eggs incubating beneath the

grunion eggs incubating beneath the

grunion eggs incubating beneath the surface and we can successfully avoid

surface and we can successfully avoid

surface and we can successfully avoid where the eggs are and continue to do

where the eggs are and continue to do

where the eggs are and continue to do what we need to do on the beach to keep

what we need to do on the beach to keep

what we need to do on the beach to keep the trash off of it beach construction

the trash off of it beach construction

the trash off of it beach construction such as shoreline our marine which is

such as shoreline our marine which is

such as shoreline our marine which is placing rocks or submit walls to protect

placing rocks or submit walls to protect

placing rocks or submit walls to protect properties can diminish or even

properties can diminish or even

properties can diminish or even eliminate grunion spawning grounds

eliminate grunion spawning grounds

eliminate grunion spawning grounds concern for the grunion has prompted

concern for the grunion has prompted

concern for the grunion has prompted hundreds of volunteers across California

hundreds of volunteers across California

hundreds of volunteers across California to become part of the grunion greeters

to become part of the grunion greeters

to become part of the grunion greeters citizen science project no one person

citizen science project no one person

citizen science project no one person and no one lab group can go and see all

and no one lab group can go and see all

and no one lab group can go and see all the runs on all the different places the

the runs on all the different places the

the runs on all the different places the only way to do it is a whole bunch of

only way to do it is a whole bunch of

only way to do it is a whole bunch of people each going to their own

people each going to their own

people each going to their own so long short of watching for the

so long short of watching for the

so long short of watching for the grunion I am amazed that people will

grunion I am amazed that people will

grunion I am amazed that people will give up their their nights and

give up their their nights and

give up their their nights and especially when have to get up in the

especially when have to get up in the

especially when have to get up in the morning and get back to work

morning and get back to work

morning and get back to work most of them you’ll say I really enjoy

most of them you’ll say I really enjoy

most of them you’ll say I really enjoy doing it I really love seeing the

doing it I really love seeing the

doing it I really love seeing the grinding command I really love the idea

grinding command I really love the idea

grinding command I really love the idea that I can be someplace where nobody

that I can be someplace where nobody

that I can be someplace where nobody else is around me and I’m seeing

else is around me and I’m seeing

else is around me and I’m seeing something nobody else is seeing and

something nobody else is seeing and

something nobody else is seeing and there could be care