Shrimp may be the key to stabilizing the ocean
Shrimp may be some of the tiniest creatures in the water, but when it comes to the all-important tasks of mixing up the ocean layers and transporting nutrients, shrimp and krill may pack a bigger punch than we originally thought. And you thought jumbo shrimp was an oxymoron. New research published in Nature suggests that tiny … Continued
When the fish are gone
Vast and seemingly limitless, we traverse its edge on foot, its waves on ships and occasionally dive to its shallower depths. Our oceans cover 70% of the world’s surface and 99% of the world’s habitable space for life. However what resides within those endless blue waters for the most part remains out of sight and, … Continued
Have you heard about the mystery of the Zuiyo-maru?
Early on the 25th of April, 1977, a Japanese fishing vessel named the Zuiyo-maru was trawling for mackerel, around 30 miles off the New Zealand coast. Little did they know that entangled in their nets, over 300m below the surface, was something far larger and more mysterious than its normal catch—something that would set the scientific … Continued
Bring on the beach! 5 nature-friendly activities for the whole family to enjoy
The beach is where sea, sky and land intersect and where families come together. It’s got something for everyone: open space to stretch your legs, living things to inspire curiosity, wind and waves to ignite the senses, breathtaking views to soothe the soul. It’s where the inner child in everyone is free to come out … Continued
False killer whale flashes a smile at the camera
While traveling with Wild Side Tours off the coast of Oahu, Elizabeth Hartford captured this incredible footage of a false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) mother swimming along with her calf. This is a rare sighting, as these beautiful creatures are endangered and have seen a dramatic drop in numbers over the last 20 years, especially in Hawaii. … Continued
7 of the strangest plants found among the fishes
We often think of dry land as the domain of plants, which inhabit nearly every terrestrial part of the globe, including habitats as diverse as tropical rainforests, northern tundra and scorching deserts. Less well known, however, are the plants that colonised the ocean sometime after the evolution of land plants 450 million years ago. Unlike … Continued
Welcome to the mind-blowing world of sea slugs
On land, slugs get a bad reputation: They’re slimy, ugly and they lack an adorable shell like their snail counterparts. Under the sea, however, slugs come in a multitude of beautiful colors and shapes. Take the species of nudibranch known as Doriprismatica atromarginata, for instance: It has a beautiful frilly mantle which appears to wave … Continued
Happy World Sea Turtle Day! Meet the olive ridley sea turtle
As one of seven species of sea turtle, the olive ridley sea turtle is a little on the smaller side in comparison to his cousins. They get their name from the greenish colouring of their shell, which starts out grey when they’re young but grows greener with age. These turtles thrive in the tropical waters … Continued
Happy World Sea Turtle Day! Meet the olive ridley sea turtle
As one of 7 species of sea turtle, the olive ridley sea turtle is a little on the smaller side in comparison to his cousins. They get their name from the greenish colouring of their shell, which starts out grey when they’re young but grows greener with age. These turtles thrive in the tropical waters … Continued
What's a swimming down in the deep ocean?
Have you ever experienced that moment where you’re playing in the ocean and go to stand up, only to find the seafloor has completely dropped away from you? What lies in the deeper depths of the world’s waters has always held an immense fascination for humankind, going back as far as the 4th century BC where—as … Continued
Spiders are just as scary under the sea as they are on land
Arachnophobes beware, the sea is crawling with spiders! Ok, they’re not ACTUALLY spiders, but with their long spindly legs, these anthropods are sure to send shivers down your spine. [geoip-content not_country=”CA”] Learn more about sea spiders and other fascinating water-dwelling creatures by checking out Fish Life, available on the Love Nature app. Not a member? … Continued
Find out just how skilled of a hunter the octopus is
Lacking any particular hard body parts, except for the beak, makes it very easy for the octopus to get in and out of tight spaces. This means the creature is able to snatch prey from even the tightest of quarters. See how masterful these cephalopods are at squeezing into small areas in the clip above. … Continued
Five marine mothers and the incredible ways they care for their young
Underwater mothers face challenges and dangers we cannot imagine, including those posed by human activities such as pollution, habitat loss and underwater noise from shipping and development. It’s WWF Water Wednesday, when Love Nature television explores the unique characteristics, natural history, environmental challenges and threats facing waters and aquatic species in Canada and around the … Continued
20 facts about dolphins you may not have known
Did you know that killer whales are not actually whales? They are members of the dolphin family, and just so happen to be the largest member of said group. Orcas find themselves in good company, as dolphins are incredibly smart. In fact, they have the largest brain to body mass ratio of any other animal … Continued
What do colours signify for ocean-dwelling creatures?
If you live the life of a fish, one of your primary methods of communicating to others is through your colouration. Different colours mean different things, and more often than not the message is “I am poisonous, so stay away”. Take the young nudibranch featured in the video above, for instance: its bright colours let … Continued
You won't believable this incredible footage in the feeding ground of humpback whales
The sight of a humpback whale eating its dinner can be quite confronting teatime viewing. No one can accuse these animals of being fussy. With mighty mouths enormously agape, these leviathan marine mammals simply swim straight through great twisting spirals of small fish such as herring, gulping down their prey and squirting the brine out … Continued
Just how dangerous is the stingray's sting?
Going diving in tropical waters? Keep an eye open for this cartilaginous fish! The stingray sports one of the deadliest defense mechanisms in the sea. Their barbed stinger, found on the end of their tail, is incredibly sharp and venomous, and can reach a length of up to 35 cm (14 inches). Their stingers were … Continued
Octopuses are the World’s Greatest Escape Artists (Ft. PhilosophyTube)
When it comes to blending into their surroundings, the octopus has all other animals beat. In just under one second, an octopus can completely change the color of its skin to match the environment around it. They can also change the texture of their skin to create bumps and grooves as needed. This helps the … Continued
Is this cauliflower growing underwater, or is it an upside-down jellyfish?
These strange looking creatures are not some rare form of cauliflower that only grows under the ocean waves. It is the upside-down jellyfish, a species that spends most of its life upside-down on the ocean floor. Watch Vicious Beauties, now on the Love Nature app. Not a member? Subscribe now and get your first 30 … Continued
The weird and wonderful world of jellyfish
Jellyfish are found in every ocean, from the surface to the ocean floor. Despite having no head, heart, brain, bones, cartilage or real eyes, they are still major predators. Their stinging cells are amongst the most complicated cells in the animal kingdom, and many have stings that can cause us serious harm. Yet they are … Continued
Female octopus makes fatal sacrifice
Mating is a dangerous exercise for the female octopus. Check out Fish Life on the Love Nature app. Don’t have the app? Subscribe now! Your first 30 days are free.
Sexy shrimp dance on sea anemone
Find out how these sea creatures have earned the nickname “sexy shrimp”. Check out Fish Life on the Love Nature app. Don’t have the app? Subscribe now! Your first 30 days are free.
Russia revives combat dolphin programme
As relations between Eastern and Western superpowers continue to cool, Russia looks poised to restart a programme mothballed after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, which once saw dolphins and other intelligent marine mammals used for military missions. Accessing the government’s procurement website, Russian reporters revealed that an … Continued
These are the last of the UK’s resident orca population
Orcinus orca, the killer whale, the highly intelligent and adaptable apex predator of the oceans, second only to human beings in global distribution. If you were to ask the average person where the best place to see an orca would be, their response might be the Antarctic, Vancouver Island, Iceland or a number of other … Continued
Domesticating Nemo
Saltwater aquariums are undeniably beautiful. Glass tanks filled with darting jewel-bright fish, swaying corals and scuttling invertebrates have been mesmerising humankind since the 1960s, and the aquarium hobby has only grown in popularity in the half-century since. While advances in technology have revolutionised the designs and capabilities of saltwater systems over the past few decades, … Continued
Plucky Pacific micronation punches shark poachers where it hurts most—Their ships
In midst of the world’s largest ocean, a desperate sea battle is being fought, with pirates, poachers and illegal fishing ships on one side, and on the other, Palau, a remote nation of 250 islands scattered like gorgeous green marbles across the great blue blanket of the western Pacific. And the action has recently become superheated, … Continued