Creature Feature – Māui Dolphin Today is National Dolphin Day!  In honour of this years’ National Dolphin Day, this week on Creature Feature Friday we take a detailed look at the most endangered species of dolphin, the Māui Dolphin. A subspecies of the Hector’s Dolphin, this species is New Zealand’s only endemic cetacean and it is estimated only 50 individuals remain in the wild.  Taxonomy Scientific Name: Cephalorhyncus hectori maui  Phylum: Chordata Order: Artiodactyla Family: Delphinidae  Genus: Cephalorhynchus  © Andrea Maecker Māui Dolphin Fact File Size ..read more

Monthly Marine Happy Headlines – March 2023 Welcome to our newest feature, Monthly Marine Happy Headlines!   Each month, we spotlight several marvellous marine discoveries, spreading ocean joy around the globe. From conservation success stories to empowering community action, the discovery of new species, and ground-breaking research articles,  join us for some ocean joy! Headline 1 – A High Seas Treaty has been reached after a decade of talks Reported by the Guardian, following almost 20 years of negotiations, on Saturday 4th March 2023, United Nations member states agreed on ..read more

Monthly Marine Happy Headlines – March 2023 Welcome to our newest feature, Monthly Marine Happy Headlines!   Each month, we spotlight several marvellous marine discoveries, spreading ocean joy around the globe. From conservation success stories to empowering community action, the discovery of new species, and ground-breaking research articles,  join us for some ocean joy! Headline 1 – A High Seas Treaty has been reached after a decade of talks Reported by the Guardian, following almost 20 years of negotiations, on Saturday 4th March 2023, United Nations member states agreed on ..read more

Creature Feature – Moray Eel This week on Creature Feature Friday we take a look at the Moray eel. Today’s Creature Feature is a Good Friday special, featuring a species famous for residing in the waters that surround Easter Island. Easter Island hosts seven species of this family of eels. There are approximately 200 species (belonging to 15 genera) of eel. Almost all are exclusively marine but several species are regularly seen in brackish water and a few can even be found in fresh water. Did you know? Eels are actually a type of fish! Taxonomy Phylum: Chordata Order: Anguilliformes Fami ..read more

Creature Feature – Giant Sea Star This week on Creature Feature Friday we take a look at the Giant Sea Star. A marine invertebrate found on the western coast of North America, like other species, this sea star species generally has five wide arms. They are either purple, yellow, orange, or brown in colour. It is the fourth largest species of sea star, and like other species, has the unique ability to regrow limbs!  Taxonomy Scientific Name: Pisaster giganteus Phylum: Echinodermata Order: Forcipulatida Family: Asteriidae Genus: Pisaster © Olivia Johnson Giant Sea Star Fact File Si ..read more

Creature Feature – White-beaked Dolphin This week on Creature Feature Friday we take a look at the White-beaked dolphin.  A social species of dolphin, they can be usually found in pods of 5-10 individuals in UK seas; though much larger groups can be seen elsewhere in their range. Like most species of dolphin, they are incredibly acrobatic and will often approach boats to bowride. Taxonomy Scientific Name: Lagenorhynchus albirostris Phylum: Chordata Order: Artiodactyla Family: Delphinidae Genus: Lagenorhynchus  © Kjell-Arne Fagerheim White-beaked Dolphin Fact File Size: Indiv ..read more

Creature Feature – Broadclub Cuttlefish This week on Creature Feature Friday we take a look at the Broadclub Cuttlefish.  Cuttlefish are marine molluscs belonging to the order Cephalopoda, like octopus. The broadclub cuttlefish gets its common name from the wide pads on the ends of its feeding tentacles that it uses to capture prey. Taxonomy Scientific Name: Sepia latimanus Phylum: Mollusca Order: Sepiida Family: Sepiidae Genus: Sepia © Shutterstock / Kristina Vackova Broadclub Cuttlefish Fact File Size: This is the second largest cuttlefish species and can grow up to 50 cm in ma ..read more

Monthly Marine Happy Headlines February 2023 Welcome to our newest feature, Monthly Marine Happy Headlines!   Each month, we spotlight several marvellous marine discoveries, spreading ocean joy around the globe. From conservation success stories to empowering community action, the discovery of new species, and ground-breaking research articles,  join us for some ocean joy! Headline 1 – Australia has blocked the creation of a coal mine under environmental laws   Good news from Australia, as BBC News reported that for the first time in history, Australia has blocked the creat ..read more

Creature Feature – Aldabra Giant Tortoise This week on Creature Feature Friday we take a look at the Aldabra Giant Tortoise. A species of tortoise endemic to the Seychelles, this tortoise species is one of the largest in the world, similar in size to the Galapagos giant tortoise and is also one of the longest-lived animals on earth, if not the longest. No one knows exactly how long these animals are capable of living, but they are believed to easily surpass 100 years.  Taxonomy Scientific Name: Aldabrachelys gigantea Phylum: Chordata Order: Testudines Family: Testudinidae Genus: Alda ..read more

Creature Feature – Atlantic Goliath Grouper This week on Creature Feature Friday we take a look at the Atlantic goliath grouper. The Atlantic goliath grouper is a saltwater fish of the grouper family and is one of the largest species of bony fish found in our oceans.  Taxonomy Scientific Name: Epinephelus itajara  Phylum: Chordata Order: Perciformes Family: Serranidae Genus: Epinephelus © Albert Kok Atlantic Goliath Grouper Fact File Size: Individuals can grow up to 2.5m long and weigh over 350kg Distribution: They can be found primarily in shallow tropical waters among cora ..read more