Two researchers from different Israeli universities captured an extraordinary event this last March while diving in the Red Sea. Coral typically feed on microscopic plankton, fractions of a millimeter in size, but the divers discovered mushroom coral (Fungia scruposa) consuming entire adult moon jellyfish (Aurelia aurita)!

Photo: Omri Bronstein

How could this stationary being lure and capture jellyfish? Since this area was experiencing a huge bloom of jellyfish, maybe it was purely by chance that the jellies found their way into the “mouth” of the corals. By installing remote video cameras on the corals, one might just solve this mystery!

The researchers speculate that this previously unheard of behavior may give coral an advantage in a changing climate, especially since jelly blooms are increasing due to anthropogenic disruptions to ecosystems. Diversify your portfolio, baby!

The researchers, who witnessed the event numerous times, wrote up their account in the journal Coral Reefs.

Stay tuned for more great stuff from Conservation Media!

We all know what these massive camera batteries look like hanging iconically off the back of TV news cameras. They, along with long lenses, seem to remove any doubt among casual onlookers that what they are looking at is a “serious” camera. Such is the attention grabbing power of these batteries that I pull OFF my camera when I’m trying to go relatively unnoticed, replacing them with little quick burners.

Well. They are priceless to have in the back country, I’m stuck in a blind for countless hours on end, or when I’m in the heat of the action and a dead battery would mean missing that moment when the rams clash, the hummingbird visits, or the mantis finally snatches.

These huge batteries have always come with a tether, however. They need AC to recharge, or for me, I could only charge them off an inverter in my truck while en route from one shot to another. Lame. Big battery, big constraints. This is why small batteries kick ass—I can charge them with my 14W Solar Roll in no time and be done with it.

Well, now the game has changed…sort of.

Solar Charging for HD Camera Batteries

Anton/Bauer has introduced a solar charging system for these big batteries.

The packet unfolds into a grid of cells about 3 foot x 4 foot wide, and will charge the biggest batteries in 3-4 hours, which is about how long it takes on AC. If you’re in the middle of nowhere for weeks on end, then this really is a fantastic product.