• Video
  • Map
  • Words

What made this crazy thing?

Riley's found a strange looking object - but what amazing animal made it? Nā te aha tēnei mea rerekē, i hanga? Kua kitea e Riley he mea rerekē – engari nā tēhea kararehe I mahi? Click the [CC] icon in the video player to view Te Reo subtitles.
01:11 387 Likes 12967 Views
Autoplay on
Like

What made this crazy thing?

Play again

Links


Activities

Egg case

 

The casing around the egg of some sharks and skates. Also known as a mermaids purse.

Spiracle

 

There are two meanings for spiracle: 1. An opening which allows a fish to breathe. 2. The part of a shark egg case which attaches the egg to something so it doesn't float away.

Seaweed

 

Large algae that grow in the sea or on rocks on the sea shore. Seaweed can be red, brown, or green, and you will often find it washed up on the sea shore.

Camouflage

 

The way that some animals hide by blending into their surroundings.

Whale shark

 

A very large tropical shark which usually swims close to the surface. It is the largest known fish and feeds on tiny floating animals called plankton.

Elephant fish

 

A large marine fish with a trunk-like snout.

Coral

 

Sea animals that stay in one place their whole life. Some coral produce a colourful skeleton (which is also called coral) that will remain after they die. Coral are often found grouped in large areas called coral reefs, and they are related to sea anemones and jellyfish.

Crayfish

 

Crayfish, or kōura in Māori, are also called Spiny Rock Lobster. They are a creature with long antennae, no claws, and a hard 'exoskeleton' or shell which they need to cast off in order to grow bigger. In some areas it is customary for Māori to make sure that the kōura has all of it's limbs when taken. Why? If a kōura loses a leg or antenna when it is taken, other kōura might see that as a reason to leave the area!

Puffer fish

 

A prickly fish that puffs itself up to scare away predators by swallowing water or air. It is often poisonous.

Click for more words!
Learn to Draw
Interviews with Experts
Hauraki Gulf
YOE adventures
Riley can't find the ocean here!
Sea of Hope
SeaLegacy's Sea of Hope episode
How can blind dolphins catch fish?
How to hide in plain sight
What eats turtles?
Why is plastic so bad for sea creatures?
Which amazing dolphin sense is your favorite?
Which ocean job suits you best?
What is an apex predator?
Dr Ingrid Visser answers our questions about Orca
What is orca chocolate?
Riley finds humpback whales!
Shark guru Rodney Fox answers our questions
Learn to Draw - Blue Whale
What sea animal eats like a cow?
Meet the striped marlin
Riley rescues a turtle!
Where do paddle crabs live?
Dolphin Dad jokes
How to swim with a snorkel
Peter Burling and Blair Tuke answer our questions
Riley explores a coral reef
Rochelle Constantine answers our questions
Riley's cool turtle encounter
Hope Stories - Fish tagging
Whale Dad jokes
How can fur seals hold their breaths?
Little blue penguin eggs
What are threats to seabirds?
My favourite island in the gulf
Meet the hawksbill turtle
Why call it a carpet shark?
Māori name for Hauraki Gulf?
Mangōpare - Hammerhead shark
What concerns you most about marine pests
Andy Casagrande answers our questions
How do marine pests get to NZ
How many eggs does this huge fish lay?
Kaitiakitanga - Community story
Learn to Draw - Great White
Learn to Draw - Bronze Whaler
Where do whales and dolphins hang out?
What is a food chain?
How close have you been to a dolphin?
Pāua, Kina & Rāhui
What is a habitat?