Filmmaker captures invasive species by dropping night-vision camera into the River Thames’ murky depths
Barny Dillarstone’s at it again, dropping cameras into the depths in search of weird, wonderful and invasive species
Ocean explorer Barny Dillarstone, known for his unique underwater adventures, has captured the attention of viewers with a new video. This time, he dropped a night-vision camera into London's River Thames, hoping to uncover new species and secrets lurking in its murky depths. Equipped with a specialized cage filled with enticing bait, Barny lowered the camera using a simple rope system.
Due to the notoriously murky conditions, visibility was severely limited during his initial attempts near the city center. However, after tracing the river towards its outskirts and rowing in a boat, Barny encountered his first invasive species: a signal crayfish. Native to North America, these large and brash crustaceans have been causing ecological havoc since their introduction in the 1960s.
They outcompete native species and contribute to riverbank erosion. The final drop of the expedition revealed another invasive species, the Chinese mitten crab. Like the signal crayfish, this Asian invader is disrupting the river's ecosystem by outcompeting native species and accelerating erosion. As viewers watch the full video, they may also catch a glimpse of a giant river fish and an apex predator, adding to the intrigue of Barny's underwater explorations.
Written by urgent.news from Digital Camera World's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
