TakingOver
Atfirst,therewereonlyafewlionfish.Soon,thereweremanymore.In2010,scientistsnamedlionfishoneofthetopdangersto biodiversity. Why?
Lionfisharepredators.Onelionfishcaneat5,000fishperyear.Lionfishcanwipeoutsmallfishandshrimpsinanarea.Here,thelionfishhavenopredators.So,there’snothingtostop them.
Alionfishswimsnearamangrove forest.
NewRules
Lionfishdon’talways“followtherules.”Forexample,manyyoungfishliveinshallowsaltwater.Itisasafeplaceforthem.Thereisfoodandshelter.Mostpredatorsstayaway.Notlionfish!Theyhunttherewith ease.
Thisyoungsnapperisbeingcleanedby humpback cleaner shrimp.
Lionfishalsohuntat“cleaningstations.”Theseareusuallysafeplaces.Largerfishlineuptogetcleanedbysmallerfish.Thesmallfishgetameal.Thelargerfishgetclean.Nofishgetseaten.Unlessalionfishswims by!
Theselionfishcrowdtogetheraroundonecoral reef.
