British Sign Language Glossaries of Curriculum Terms

BSL Marine Species Glossary - Red Gorgonian - definition

Translation:

I'm here in Falmouth, where you can see the river behind me that leads out to the sea. Today I'm going to talk to you about a species called Red Gorgonian. Red Gorgonian is a species of soft coral most commonly found in the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. It grows on the seabed at depths of 50-60m, which is pretty deep. Red Gorgonians are very slow growing - up to a few cm per year. They are known for their vivid colour - orange, salmon colour and of course red, hence the name. Their structure is made up of small, individual 'Polyps', so they're not just one structure but one made of lots of small ones. Red Gorgonian has a very tough, but flexible skeleton, which means it does not break in storm conditions but can move with the current. They are filter feeders that use their network of polyps to take in nutrients and Plankton. Positioning themselves at an angle means that Red Gorgonians ensure that more water flows over them. They are really great 'Ecosystem Engineers' because they provide very safe habitats and shelter for fish and crustaceans. Red Gorgonians are sensitive to the environment, which means they can be adversely affected by Climate Change, marine heatwaves and tourism (like fishing and diving which can cause damage). Conservation Status is 'Vulnerable' so it is important that we protect them.