Jul 7, 2022 | Observation
On our last expedition to Jiigurru (Lizard Island), we were fortunate enough to witness a pair of Reef Octopus (Octopus cyanea) out actively hunting and copulating in the late afternoon at Watson’s Bay, with very little concern about our presence. The larger... 
Jun 19, 2022 | COTS, Grants, Research
Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (COTS) are natural members of coral reef communities and their numbers erupt periodically into outbreaks. Adult starfish – which can reach more than 50 cm diameter – eat the living tissue of corals. When outbreaks occur, COTS consume... 
Apr 10, 2022 | Biodiversity, Grants
The 2022 Lizard Island Critical Research Grant has been awarded to Prof. Andrew Baird of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University and colleagues from the Museum of Tropical Queensland and University of Hawai’i at Manoa. The project,... 
Mar 3, 2022 | Fellowships, Research
To anybody familiar with the coral reef systems of the Great Barrier Reef and their inhabitants, the importance of the damselfish family is well understood. Take a quick look at the reef while snorkelling on Lizard Island and you will see hundreds of this family’s... 
Feb 24, 2022 | Bleaching, Reef condition
Lizard Island epitomises the plight of Anthropocene coral reefs as it has been subjected to a growing number and escalating intensity of disturbances in recent years, especially cyclones and bleaching events. However, despite these disturbances pushing coral cover to... 
Feb 10, 2022 | People, Research
Friday February 11th is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. With combined goals of showcasing women and girls doing amazing things to promote, engage and foster female representation in science it is also a reminder of the progress that still needs to... 
Dec 15, 2021 | Fellowships, Grants
No new fellowships or grants were awarded for 2021 due to severe limitations on travel caused by COVID-19. We’re pleased that this important program has now resumed. Four new postdoctoral fellows and three new postdoctoral fellowships have now been selected to start... 
Dec 10, 2021 | Biodiversity, Long-term
That apparently simple question is not so easy to answer. Not only are corals notoriously difficult to identify to species, the mixture of species within a local community can change over time, rare species are easily overlooked, and even the concept of a species can...
