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    "id":"oceans-caribbean-gulf",
    

    "smil":"http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/data/xml/oceans-caribbean-gulf.smil",

    "title":"Gulf of Mexico \u0026amp\u003B Caribbean",

    "transcript":"\u003Cp class\u003D\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EUnder the light of the summer moon, the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea produce one of the most extraordinary explosions of life on the planet.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp class\u003D\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EWith a ballet\u002Dlike precision, brain and star corals release millions of eggs that float to the surface like luminous pearls from the dark depths of the sea. Within minutes, a smoky cloud of sperm follows.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp class\u003D\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EEach species of coral has its own moment to find a mate \u002D\u002D when the water is warm, the currents gentle and the moon just right.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp class\u003D\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EShould the conditions be less than perfect, some coral can delay spawning for almost a month.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp class\u003D\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EBut if all goes well, the fertilized eggs will develop and eventually contribute to building a new reef.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp class\u003D\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EThe moon also triggers the spawning of dog and cubera snappers. They gather in great masses, forming a column or cyclone of fish that spins upward toward the surface light.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp class\u003D\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EIn the mating ritual, the cubera females hang upside down – and turn white to attract males. A single female can deposit tens of thousands of eggs a night, but only a lucky few survive.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp class\u003D\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EThe abundance of fish eggs is good news for whale sharks, who come here to feast on cubera caviar.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp class\u003D\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EThe mating rituals of the cubera snappers have nothing, though, on squid. They compete for the attentions of a female with a display of ever\u002Dchanging color.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp class\u003D\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003ETheir cousins are hunted by sperm whales, who dive into bone\u002Dcrushing depths to catch them. The whales need the nourishment, particularly when nursing their newborn calves.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp class\u003D\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EFor the yellowhead jawfish, reproduction is a little different. After successfully mating, the male is left to deal with the eggs. He holds them in his mouth for five days until they finally hatch.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp class\u003D\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003ELured by the same mix of the moon and the tides and the temperatures, nurse sharks carry out an elaborate mating dance, spinning and twisting in a frenzy of movement. Nurse sharks can give birth to large litters of as many as 20 to 25 pups.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp class\u003D\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003ELife is rich and productive in the warm waters of the reef systems of the Gulf and Caribbean waters.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp class\u003D\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EBut it’s an ecosystem in danger. Human activity has caused the disappearance of 80 percent of the hard coral cover for the reefs. Agricultural runoff has created dead zones in the Gulf of Mexico, with oxygen levels too low to support life.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp class\u003D\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EThe marine life here is in trouble, but there is still hope that with care and protection, the health of these waters can be restored.\u003C/p\u003E",

    "description":"\u003Cp\u003EThe mix of moonlight, tide, and temperature triggers an extraordinary explosion of life in these waters. When the conditions are just right, divers can witness the reproduction of corals, snappers, yellowhead jawfish, and nurse sharks. \u003Cem\u003ENarrated by National Geographic Explorer\u002Din\u002DResidence Sylvia Earle.\u003C/em\u003E\u003C/p\u003E",
    
    
    "credit":"National Geographic",
    
    

    
    
    
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    "url":"http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/places/parks-and-nature-places/oceans/oceans-caribbean-gulf/",

    "related":
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                 "name":"VIDEO: Reef Balls",
                 "url":"http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/environment/going\u002Dgreen\u002Denvironment/conservation\u002Din\u002Daction/reef\u002Dtombs.html"
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                ,{
                 "name":"Ocean: An Illustrated Atlas",
                 "url":"http://shop.nationalgeographic.com/jump.jsp?itemID\u003D4452\u0026itemType\u003DPRODUCT\u0026path\u003D1%2C2%2C104%2C113%2C143\u0026KickerID\u003D2990\u0026KICKER"
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