TED2017
Mei Lin Neo: The fascinating secret lives of giant clams
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When you think about the deep blue sea, you might instantly think of whales or coral reefs. But spare a thought for giant clams, the world's largest living shellfish. These incredible creatures can live to 100, grow up to four and a half feet long and weigh as much as three baby elephants. In this charming talk, marine biologist Mei Lin Neo shares why she's obsessively trying to turn these legendary sea creatures into heroes of the oceans.
Mei Lin Neo - Marine biologist
TED Fellow Mei Lin Neo is helping giant clams step out of their shells and show the world that they can be the heroes of the oceans, too. Full bio
TED Fellow Mei Lin Neo is helping giant clams step out of their shells and show the world that they can be the heroes of the oceans, too. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
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Back home, my friends call me nicknames,
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such as "The Giant Clam Girl,"
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"Clam Queen,"
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or, "The Mother of Clams."
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(Laughter)
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This is because every time I see them,
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I talk nonstop about giant clams all day,
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every day.
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Giant clams are these massive
and colorful shelled marine animals,
and colorful shelled marine animals,
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the largest of its kind.
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Just look at this shell.
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The biggest recorded individual
was four-and-a-half-feet long
was four-and-a-half-feet long
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and weighed about 550 pounds.
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That is almost as heavy
as three baby elephants.
as three baby elephants.
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South Pacific legends once described
giant clams as man-eaters
giant clams as man-eaters
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that would lie in wait on the seabed
to trap unsuspecting divers.
to trap unsuspecting divers.
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A story goes that a diver
had lost his legs
had lost his legs
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while trying to retrieve a pearl
from a giant clam.
from a giant clam.
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I thought, "Really?"
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So out of curiosity,
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I did an experiment using myself as bait.
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01:13
(Laughter)
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I carefully placed my hand
into the clam's mouth and waited.
into the clam's mouth and waited.
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Hmm ...
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I still have my hand.
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It seems that these gentle giants
would rather retreat
would rather retreat
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and protect their fleshy bodies
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than feed on me.
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So much for those killer clam myths!
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Unfortunately, the reality is,
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we are the giant clams' biggest threat.
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Considered a delicacy throughout
the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans,
the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans,
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giant clams have been traditionally
fished as seafood.
fished as seafood.
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Fishermen are particularly interested
in their adductor muscles,
in their adductor muscles,
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which are organs that hold
the two shells together like a hinge.
the two shells together like a hinge.
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Just for their muscles,
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giant clams were almost
hunted to extinction
hunted to extinction
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between the 1960s and 1980s.
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Clamshells are also popular
in the ornamental trade
in the ornamental trade
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as jewelry and for display.
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In the South China Sea,
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fishermen went out of their way
to collect fossilized clamshells
to collect fossilized clamshells
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by digging through large areas
of coral reefs.
of coral reefs.
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These were later carved and sold
as so-called "ivory handicrafts" in China.
as so-called "ivory handicrafts" in China.
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Giant clams, dead or alive,
are not safe from us.
are not safe from us.
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It's a "clamity!"
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(Laughter)
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(Applause)
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With the spotlight on more
charismatic marine animals
charismatic marine animals
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such as the whales and coral reefs,
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it is easy to forget that other
marine life needs our help, too.
marine life needs our help, too.
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My fascination with giant clams
got me started on conservation research
got me started on conservation research
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to fill in the knowledge gaps
on their ecology and behavior.
on their ecology and behavior.
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One of the discoveries that we made
was that giant clams could walk
was that giant clams could walk
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across the seafloor.
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Yes, you heard me right:
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they can walk.
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To find out,
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we placed numerous baby clams on a grid.
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Now watch what happens over 24 hours.
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We think that walking is important
for getting away from predators
for getting away from predators
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and finding mates for breeding.
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While it can hard to imagine
any movement in these enormous animals,
any movement in these enormous animals,
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giant clams up to 400 pounds
can still walk,
can still walk,
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they just move slower.
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During my PhD, I discovered
more secrets about the giant clams.
more secrets about the giant clams.
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But there was something
missing in my work.
missing in my work.
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I found myself asking,
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"Why should people care
about conserving giant clams?" --
about conserving giant clams?" --
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other than myself, of course.
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(Laughter)
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It turns out that giant clams
have a giant impact on coral reefs.
have a giant impact on coral reefs.
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These multitasking clams
are reef builders,
are reef builders,
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food factories,
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shelters for shrimps and crabs
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and water filters,
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all rolled into one.
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In a nutshell,
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giant clams play a major contributing role
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as residents of their own reef home,
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and just having them around
keeps the reef healthy.
keeps the reef healthy.
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And because they can live
up to 100 years old,
up to 100 years old,
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giant clams make vital indicators
of coral reef health.
of coral reef health.
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So when giant clams
start to disappear from coral reefs,
start to disappear from coral reefs,
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their absence can serve as an alarm bell
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for scientists to start paying attention,
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similar to the canary in a coal mine.
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But giant clams are endangered.
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The largest clam in the world
is facing the threat of extinction,
is facing the threat of extinction,
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with more than 50 percent
of the wild population severely depleted.
of the wild population severely depleted.
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And the ecological benefits
of having giant clams on coral reefs
of having giant clams on coral reefs
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are likely to continue
only if populations are healthy,
only if populations are healthy,
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making their conservation paramount.
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So I stand here today to give a voice
to the giant clams,
to the giant clams,
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because I care a whole lot
for these amazing animals,
for these amazing animals,
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and they deserve to be cared for.
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It is time for the giant clams
to step out of their shells,
to step out of their shells,
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and show the world that they, too,
can be the heroes of the oceans.
can be the heroes of the oceans.
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Thank you very much.
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(Applause)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Mei Lin Neo - Marine biologistTED Fellow Mei Lin Neo is helping giant clams step out of their shells and show the world that they can be the heroes of the oceans, too.
Why you should listen
Dr. Mei Lin Neo is a research fellow at the St. John's Island National Marine Laboratory , having started her research work on the giant clams since 2006. Her current research expertise lies in the mariculture of giant clams, experimental marine ecology and marine conservation. Neo is also a TED Fellow and an advocate for science communication as a voice for the conservation of giant clams. Outside of research, she actively volunteers in local conservation groups to promote marine conservation messages and educate fellow volunteers.
Mei Lin Neo | Speaker | TED.com