All across the world, countries are holding special activities and programmes, to raise awareness and help conserve the corals and the animals that live on them.
Fiji’s special activity is The Great Fiji Butterflyfish Count.
In November 2008 people from all over the world will come to Fiji to have fun counting Butterflyfish while diving, snorkelling or riding glass-bottom boats, and contribute their results to a Fiji-wide Butterflyfish Biodiversity project that will be published internationally.
The Great Fiji Butterflyfish Count identification Guide shows 27 Fiji Butterflyfish species, and gives identification tips. More information can be found on www.Fijibutterflyfishcount.com
Kaila’s International Year of the Reef Competition allows you take part in the Internataional Year of the Reef and mark Fiji’s first Great Fiji Butterflyfish Count.
Read these Fascinating Facts on Fiji’s 27 kinds of Butterflyfish, then complete one or more of the Butterflyfish Competitions printed here and in the next 3 editions of Kaila, and send them in to be in the draw to win fabulous prizes! As well as the competitions, there are fun activities to do and things to make to show that you care about Fiji’s Butterflyfish and coral health.
Fascinating Facts
Why are Butterflyfish worth knowing about?
Butterflyfish depend on living coral for shelter and food. Some Butterflyfish only eat the tentacles of the actual coral animals. Where there are lots of butterflyfish there is usually a lot of healthy coral, so knowing how many butterflyfish live on a reef give us an idea of how healthy the coral reef is.
Why is coral health is important anyone living in an island nation?
Coral reefs provide food, income, and protection from large storm waves. For many Fijian people the reef is also a source of tourism employment. If the reefs are dead or in poor health, there are fewer fish, fewer jobs, and more coastal erosion.
Coral Reefs are the oldest, most complex ecosystems on earth. They are home to more kinds of life than any other ocean environment.
Corals are small animals (polyps) that are closely related to sea anemones and jellyfish. Most corals create colonies, by growing a large rocky skeleton that we see as rock. The soft bodied polyps live in the outer edge of this skeleton, on top of the empty skeletons of previous generations. Only the outer layer of a coral boulder is alive.
Hard corals come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours. The most common are Branching, Boulder, Leafy, Finger, Mushroom, Encrusting and Table.
If coral is coloured it is alive. Dead coral is white or grey.
Live coral polyp shown on the outer layer of a coral boulder
Water Quality and Coral Health
Corals need clear, clean, nutrient-free waters and temperatures between 21 and 32oC to live in.
The two main nutrients which cause problems, Nitrate and Phosphate, are found in spray fertilisers, waste from human toilet systems, pig farms, and kitchen and laundry detergents.
If the sea water has too much nutrient, corals cannot make hard rocky skeletons, and seaweeds (algae) grow faster and block out the sunlight, so that corals die.
In areas with polluted water, the reef changes from a colourful, coral-rich area supporting many fish and other animals, to a flat, brown plain covered in seaweeds, with very little life.
How can Fiji’s people help keep Fiji’s water clean?
Make sure that all toilets go into proper septic or other treatment systems
Do not build piggeries directly over streams that run into the sea
Reduce use of spray fertilisers and weed-killers on fields and plantations
Use biodegradable low phosphate or phosphate-free detergents
The Great Fiji Butterflyfish Count is proudly sponsored by Coral Plus Detergent. By using phosphate-free biodegradable detergent, you help keep oceans clean, and coral reefs healthy.
Kaila Butterflyfish Competitions:
Every week, for the month of November, Kaila will be printing a different Butterflyfish Competition.
There are 2 ways to win:
Complete the competitions, cut out and send them in straight away to win great weekly prizes.
OR
If you collect all four and send them in all together at the end of November, you could win the GRAND PRIZE.
Weekly Prizes include:
- Books on reef life and fishes
- DVDs on reef life and conservation
- T shirts and caps
- Playmats
- Fish puzzles
GRAND PRIZE:
- 1 year’s supply of Coral Plus Non-Phosphate Biodegradable laundry detergent
- DVD: Marine Life of Fiji and Tonga
- Mask and Snorkel set
Prizes contributed by;
- Ocean Soaps / Coral Plus Phosphate-free Biodegradable Detergent
- Coral Reef Alliance
- Diveaway at Hideaway Resort
- Resort Support
- Marine Ecology Consulting
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