Threads of Trouble: The Story of Copiatestes and Our Manu by Dr. Jerusha Bennett

Kia ora e te whānau! Ever seen a seabird with strange thread-like anklets? They might look like seaweed or trash… but they’re actually fish parasites—and they’re causing serious trouble for our manu.

In this video, Dr. Jerusha Bennett at the University of Otago (Dunedin, New Zealand) shares the story of Copiatestes, a trematode parasite with a complex life cycle that unexpectedly intersects with the lives of seabirds. From snails to krill to fish, Copiatestes follows a precise path—until something goes wrong. When its sticky filaments accidentally entangle seabird legs, the consequences can be fatal.