Fish "Walks" on Beach to Spawn
Every spring on California's beaches, thousands of tiny fish come ashore to lay their eggs—though their sandy habitat is in decline, experts say.
Every spring on California's beaches, thousands of tiny fish come ashore to spawn. As beach habitats decline, volunteer "grunion greeters" are teaming up to study and protect the tiny fish.
© 2011 National Geographic; Video courtesy Karen Martin, Michael Murrie, Beach Ecology Coalition
During the day, southern California beaches are populated with people seeking fun in the sun.
But at night, just shortly after a full moon, when most of the people are away, these beaches are populated with small fish, coming to frolic… but in a different way.
The fish is the California grunion, and they come to the beach to spawn.
Every spring and summer, they flock to Pacific beaches, mostly from Punta Abreojos Mexico, to Santa Barbara, California.
SOUNDBITE: Karen Martin, biologist, Pepperdine
