Top: The Central Bank Of Costa Rica In The Capital, San José.

Guess hoo-hoo it is 🦉

The owlfish, named for the size of its large eyes relative to its head, lives throughout the North Pacific. These species are in the family Bathylagidae and are relatively common in the deep sea, living at depths of over 6,000 meters (19,685 feet). In Monterey Bay, we observe these fish between a few hundred meters to over 2,000 meters (6,560 feet)

Dinoflagellates The dinoflagellates are a large group of flagellate protists. Most are marine plankton, but they are common in fresh water habitats as well. They are characterized by two flagella, one girdling the cell and the other trailing the cell. Some dinoflagellates exist in coral, in a symbiotic relationship. These dinoflagellates are termed the zooxanthellae. Other dinoflagellates occur in such high numbers that the water is colored red, a phenomenon known as a red tide.

Not every creature in the ocean is cute and cuddly – some are downright spooky! 

Anglerfish like this one in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary lurk in the dark, waiting to lure prey in with the light atop their head. 

(Photo: MBARI)

March is Dolphin Awareness Month, and here at Sanctuaries, we love our dolphins! 

Dr. Nancy Foster Scholar Alexandra Avila photographed these Hawaiian spinner dolphins in Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Spinner dolphins are incredibly gregarious, sometimes gathering in groups of several hundred or more! These dolphins feed at night and return to coastal waters to rest and socialize. Because they rest during the day, it’s important to give them lots of space – would you like someone trying to hang out with you when you’re trying to get some shut-eye? 

(Photo: Alexandra Avila)

Changing main blog now. Everything before this is my study abroad experience in Costa Rica

Untitled by artan

“Yes, hello, are you aware that it’s Sea Turtle Week?" 

This endangered hawksbill turtle wants to be sure you know! Hawksbills are just one of several species of sea turtle found within the waters of Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Look closely and you can see a GPS-linked satellite tag on its shell. This tag helps NOAA researchers track its movements, so we can better understand which habitats are critical for hawksbill recovery. 

(Photo: Don McLeish/NOAA) 

[Image description: A close-up of a hawksbill turtle that is looking directly at the camera. A small GPS tag is attached to its shell.]