Wildlife and activity near Rye
Giant spider crab. Image credit - Julian Finn, Museums Victoria
Leptomithrax gaimardii. At Rye
Southern calamari squid. Image credit - Julian Finn, Museums Victoria
Sepioteuthis australis. At Rye
Biscuit star. Image credit - Julian Finn, Museums Victoria
Tosia neossia. At Rye
Southern pygmy leatherjacket. Image credit - Julian Finn, Museums Victoria
Brachaluteres jacksonianus. At Rye
Giant spider crab. Image credit - Julian Finn, Museums Victoria
Leptomithrax gaimardii. At Rye
Giant spider crab. Image credit: Julian Finn, Museums Victoria
Leptomithrax gaimardii. At Rye
Giant spider crab. Image credit: Julian Finn, Museums Victoria
Leptomithrax gaimardii. At Rye
Little gurnard perch. Image credit - Julian Finn, Museums Victoria
Maxillicosta scabriceps. At Rye
Silverbelly. Image credit - Julian Finn, Museums Victoria
Parequula melbournensis. At Rye
Bluespotted goatfish. Image credit - Julian Finn, Museums Victoria
Upeneichthys vlamingii. At Rye
ReefWatch divers are the underwater watchdogs of Port Phillip Bay, so not much happens without them noticing. In fact ‘ReefWatchers’ were the first to sight the introduced nudibranch (Thecacera pennigera) as well as the range extension of the very hairy nudibranch (Bursatella leachii).
Seagrasses, saltmarshes and mangroves are an environmental powerhouse, storing carbon for thousands of years, while also preventing carbon from breaking down and entering the atmosphere. It’s called “blue carbon” and it’s much faster and more efficient than our tropical rainforests.