After extensive study of nautiloid fossils, Ward
craved seeing a living Nautilus in its natural habitat off the
coast of New Caledonia. Unfortunately, these animals spend most of
their time on the sea floor, over 1000 feet below the surface, much
deeper than a human in SCUBA gear can safely dive. However each night,
the creatures rise to the surface to feed and then before morning
return to the bottom to avoid being eaten by faster moving animals
like fish. Ward traveled to New Caledonia, and dove at night in
dangerous waters in order to observe this ancient species of mollusc
in its natural habitat -- a species that has survived nearly unchanged
for hundreds of millions of years.
Even geleend van The
shape of Life
