The Channel Islands are unusually thick with life because of an ocean upwelling that draws detritus from the depths, nourishing an army of plankton that turns the water a soupy green. The sumptuous food chain attracts whales and porpoises, seals and sea lions, seabirds, tourists, divers, and fishermen. This marine wealth was recognized in 1980, when the islands and their waters became a national park. A large reserve here, Donlon and others hope, would eventually replenish the surrounding fisheries as well. And if a marine reserve can succeed in the Channel Islands, where so much life converges, it may help us think differently about wilderness beneath the waves.
Kelp snails, with their vivid red foot, live and feed on giant kelp.
They provide habitat for a snail called the slipper limpet, which attaches to the host animal's shell. The teeth of the California horn shark are set in rows that rotate inward, moving prey along as a conveyor belt would. The front teeth grasp, while the back rows lie flat and grind. Horn sharks eat sea urchins and crustaceans, grinding away their spines and crushing their shells. The shark's curved nostril-flaps channel water into its nose so the shark can smell.