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Abalone Predators In The Wild

Abalone are easily over fished. They have slow growth, infrequent reproductive success, vulnerability to fishery-related injuries, high mortality of small animals, and need high densities for successful reproduction. These factors limit the ability of abalone to withstand a fishery. An abalone fishery could take decades to recover from collapse. Great care will be needed to prevent the northern California red abalone fishery from joining all the abalone fisheries which have collapsed worldwide.

Throughout its life, an abalone contends with a variety of predators. The Abalone eggs and larvae are eaten by filter-feeding animals. Though juvenile abalone hide, they are active at night (nocturnal) and crabs, lobsters, octopuses, starfish, fish and predatory snails prey on them. Abalone in shallow water may be crushed by storm tossed rocks.

Large abalone are not threatened by the Abalone predators of their earlier life, but larger, and often more efficient predators now become important. Fishes, such as the cabezon, can dislodge some abalone and swallow them whole. Even very large abalone are no match for the crushing jaws of a bat ray. The sea otter is the most effective predator, capable of removing all exposed abalone within reach. Only those in deep crevices or under large rocks will survive. Abalone are one of the first food items taken by otters as they move into new habitat.