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The 2 GPS' of the sea

The 2 GPS' of the sea

Many sea animals, such as sharks and turtles, travel huge distances throughout the year as part of their migration. They are able to go across the whole ocean and yet still not get lost. In fact, sea turtles almost always are able to find the exact same beach they were born on, after traveling thousands of miles away. How do they do this? Both animals use the Earth's magnetic field. To make sure that sharks used the Earth’s magnetic field, Bryan Keller of Florida State Univer

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Pollution Solutions

Pollution Solutions

It’s no secret that we have a pollution problem. Trillions, yes TRILLIONS, of pounds of waste are produced worldwide each year. Much of that trash finds its way into waterways and oceans. Currently, there are over 150 million tons of plastic waste in the ocean. Luckily, there are alternatives to single-use items that pollute our oceans. Cigarettes Cigarette butts are by far the number one polluter in oceans. Cigarette butts leak nicotine, chemicals, and other toxins into the

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The Hawaiian monk seal

The Hawaiian monk seal

In honor of endangered species day this year (May 21, 2021), here is some information on one of the most endangered seal species, the Hawaiian monk seal. The Hawaiian monk seal is a species of seal that lives in the Hawaiian archipelago, mostly the Northwestern Hawaiian islands. It is called a “monk” seal because its folds of skin looks like a monk’s cowl and because it does not travel in groups. They are also unique because most seals live in cold waters, while the Hawaiian

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Saving Reefs

Saving Reefs

Coral reefs all over the world are dying at alarming rates. Coastal development, dredging, and destructive fishing practices such as dropped gear and boat anchors cause instant physical damage to corals, killing them in most (if not all) cases. As climate change continues to increase the atmospheric temperatures, the ocean temperatures rise with it. Warmer waters mean that corals lose the algae they require for food. Because of this, the corals become stressed and lose their

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The Ocean Twilight Zone

The Ocean Twilight Zone

What is the Ocean Twilight Zone? The ocean twilight zone is a layer of water that expands all around the globe. Also known as the midwater or mesopelagic, the twilight zone lies 200 to 1,000 meters below the ocean's surface and it is just beyond the reach of sunlight. The animals that live in the twilight zone range in size from microscopic to among the world's largest. Some species live their whole lives in its murky depths, while others migrate to and from the surface on a

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Save the Vaquita

Save the Vaquita

The vaquita is a species of porpoise and it is the most endangered marine mammal in the world. Scientists estimate that there may be only 10 to 30 vaquitas left on Earth. About the Vaquita Vaquitas are a small porpoise that are around 5 feet long and weigh 120 pounds. They can be easily identified by their rounded mouth and black circles around their eyes. They also have a large dorsal fin. Vaquitas live in Mexico’s Gulf of California and have the smallest living range of any

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Sea Otters!

Sea Otters!

"Mirror, Mirror, on the Ocean- Who's the Cutest of Them All?" The Magic Mirror responds, "Sea Otter, Thou is the Cutest of All!" Sea Otters have built quite the reputation for being adorable, no doubt, but there is more to them than eye meets! These otters are also famous for being able to use tools, a skill that few animals other than humans are able to utilize. One of the fascinating techniques is similar to an anvil. The otter places the anvil, usually a rock, on its stoma

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Marine Protected Areas

Marine Protected Areas

Marine life is collapsing right in front of our eyes. Ocean acidification has been causing coral reefs to die for decades. Coral reefs play a vital role in marine ecosystems, giving fish and other marine life a place to call home. Overfishing and pollution have caused roughly half of the total fish population to disappear since the 70s, with some larger fish species declining by up to 90%. It is estimated that by 2050 there will be no more fish left in the ocean if we continu

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Warning: NOT FOR THE FAINT HEARTED: MANTIS SHRIMP

Warning: NOT FOR THE FAINT HEARTED: MANTIS SHRIMP

A cancer-detecting bullet that makes a fashion statement! Introducing the Mantis Shrimp. The Mantis Shrimp is neither a mantis nor a shrimp, but rather a crustacean. However, these animals are ferocious. They have some mean forelimbs, which can pack some serious damage. What meal each Mantis Shrimp puts on the table differs based on their hunting style. There are two ways: spearing or clubbing, neither of which is a picnic at the park for their food. Mantis shrimp who club th

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The Importance of Sea Ice

The Importance of Sea Ice

Sea ice is frozen ocean water. It grows and melts in the ocean, and most of it is found in the Arctic and Antarctica. Sea ice has a huge impact on our global climate. Since ocean water contains salt, sea ice has different properties compared to normal, freshwater, ice. It is also different from icebergs and glaciers, which initially form on land and then end up moving to the sea. Salt water has a freezing point slightly lower than the freezing point of freshwater, at -2 ºC. I

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Get to Know Me: Pelagic Thresher Shark

Get to Know Me: Pelagic Thresher Shark

Appearance The pelagic thresher (alopias pelagicus) is one of three types of thresher sharks. Their most notable feature is their incredibly long caudal (tail) fin, which measures approximately half of their total body length. On average, when fully grown, these sharks are about 10 feet in length and weigh about 153 pounds. Pelagic thresher sharks are often confused with the common thresher (alopias vulpinus). The common thresher does not have dark skin patches above the base

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The Dugong

The Dugong

Oceana “Dugong” https://oceana.org/marine-life/marine-mammals/dugong What are Dugongs? Dugongs are related to Manatees in behavior and in appearance! The Dugongs are under the Vulnerable category. So, they are not endangered but could be going into the decreasing category. They are threatened by habitat destruction, boats, and fisheries! What do Dugongs eat? Dugongs are major vegetarians so that means they are Herbivores! This also causes them to spend most of their time in g

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The Effect of COVID on the Ocean

The Effect of COVID on the Ocean

With the economy shutting down for the past year due to COVID-19 and only reopening only a few months ago, you might think that the ocean is doing significantly better because of less greenhouse gas being released into the air and less human activity. This is true to some extent, but at the same time there are new problems that come along. What is improving? One of the things that is improving is a slowdown in fisheries. In the U.S., ⅔ of the seafood goes to restaurants, and

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