As Rival Resorts Battle in a Bahamas Court, a Threatened Conch’s Nursery Is Caught in the Middle

Scientists who study conch say the species’ habitat needs are more important than the needs of either property.

By Kate Waxman

Queen conch larvae drift for two to three weeks before settling into seagrass, where their first food grows on the thin green blades. This is where they spend most of their first year, buried in the sand.