August Event: Meet the Creatures of the Mudflats with Monal

Join Dr. Monal Lal on a discovery walk at the Nasese foreshore mudflats. At a casual glance, mudflats may seem like a lifeless stretch of coastline between dry land and the sea. Take a closer look and you will discover a complete ecosystem at work above, on and below the surface of the mud. The mudflats form a vital connection between the land and sea, and are home to many marine and land-dwelling organisms which are important for both habitats. Observe fiddler crabs constructing their burrows and performing mating dances, and get a first-hand look at various other critters that spend their lives buried in the mud. Participants will assist in carrying out a mudflat survey, working from the land towards the sea, and record the different types of animals and plants living there. Get wet, muddy and have lots of fun.

Dr. Monal Lal is a marine ecologist and geneticist from the Fiji Islands. He is currently a Project Scientist within the Tropical Aquaculture Research Group at the University of the Sunshine Coast, and Adjunct Research Fellow at the School of Marine Studies, University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji. He is working on a number of research projects in the Fiji Islands, Tonga, Australia and the Philippines, which involve sustainable fishery management and the aquaculture of tropical species. His research interests lie in the conservation, ecology, population genomics, selective breeding and hatchery production of finfish, molluscan and crustacean species for fisheries and aquaculture.

Duration approx: 1.5 hours.
More information on where to meet and what to bring will be sent to participants later once you have signed up.

Payment MUST be made to secure a place.
There have been last minute cancellations or no shows on past activities, depriving other participants a place. Please understand we are an NGO and the funds collected are needed to support our conservation work.

Cost $15 for NatureFiji member, $25 for non-members.
Minimum Age: 7 years.
Become a member and enjoy the discounted rate.
Contact: [email protected] Tel: 310 0598