Ocean Life
Photo by Ryan Pernofski
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Hard Corals, Nature’s Seawalls
Day 1 of our underwater journey starts with hard corals and how they protect our coastlines. Healthy reefs act as natural barriers that protect coastal cities, communities and beaches from pounding ocean waves. Without coral reefs, many beaches and buildings would become vulnerable to waves and storm damage. And with increasing storm intensity predicted as…
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Coral Reef Close-up: Mucus Munchers
Butterflyfish are a favorite for many reef lovers, and their unique feeding habits make them coral reef obligates (they are only found on coral reefs). Did you know that some of the 129 species of butterflyfish (Chaetodontidae) are “mucus munchers?” As strange as it might sound, some butterflyfish take advantage of energy-rich coral mucus as…
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Who’s the Real Dory?
Meet the Real Fish Behind the Beloved Ocean Icon If you’ve ever watched Finding Nemo or Finding Dory, you already know Dory: the bright blue, big-hearted fish with a short memory and an even bigger personality. But the real Dory exists far beyond the screen, and she’s even more fascinating in the wild. The character…
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The Coral Polyp and the Origin of Life
As a Hawaiian, I have a deep connection to the both the land and the sea. This stems not only from my personal love of nature but from my belief that all life is interrelated, a belief that drives my work with the Coral Reef Alliance. I learned this early through the Kumulipo, the Hawaiian…
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From Inspiration on the Caymans to momentum at the Paris Climate Talks
My father and I share a love of the ocean and diving. These days, we live 3,000 miles apart, he’s on the East Coast and I’m on the West. But we take the time to visit our respective hometowns and occasionally, to dive together where tropical corals grow. For me, dive travel is a much-needed…
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Fun Parrotfish Facts
Thanks to David Welder for asking about the difference between parrotfish and wrasses; he thought the image on the coin looked remarkably like a Maori wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) and was curious about how they are related to the humphead parrotfish. Turns out it looked like a Maori wrasse because it is one! We obviously did…