A JET of water squirts from the giant clam Daniel Kimberley holds above a tank, sending squealing children scampering in all directions. Kimberley smirks as they try to shake the spray from their hands, their faces a blend of awe and bewilderment. We’re nearing the end of a one-hour tour of his Queensland coral farm, and while this may not be the first time he’s pulled off this playful trick, it’s clear he still takes delight in the reaction it gets. “The clam has an adaptor muscle between the two shells that opens and closes to protect it from predators, so when you pick it up it has an immediate response and squirts the water inside out,” Kimberley explains.
