ICS Celebrates: World Wildlife Day 3 March 2018

The Indian Lionfish's unusual form and leaflike fins camouflage it for ambush. Venomous spines on the fins and tail are used purely for self defence. Photo thanks Rowana Walton

Today is World Wildlife Day, the United Nations global celebration of the many beautiful and varied forms of wild animals and plants on our planet, and occasion to raise awareness of the multitude of benefits that conservation provides to both wildlife and people and the plight of many threatened or endangered species.

This year's World Wildlife Day theme is “Big cats: predators under threat".  Whilst not home to big cats, Seychelles' expansive marine reserves support an incredible diversity of amazing species.  The Indian Lionfish is a majestic and highly effective predator native to Seychelles' reefs.  Graceful and slow swimming, it uses its featherlike fins to simultaneously attract and camouflage from prey.  Lionfish are ambush predators, swallowing whole anything that fits in their mouth, and able to expand their stomach to 30 times its size.  They are territorial, solitary hunters which can live up to 15 years and in their native habitat are an essential element of healthy reef ecosystems.