Mangroves have shaped Earth’s coastlines since the time of the dinosaurs. From the Late Cretaceous through ice ages, mass extinctions, and shifting continents, these salt-tolerant forests have withstood the test of time. Yet today, human activity is fragmenting their habitats and accelerating their decline faster than nearly any other forest on Earth. Want to take action for mangroves today? Head to the link in bio. These images are drawn from the 11th Mangrove Photography Awards, which received a record-breaking 3,303 submissions from 78 countries, amplifying the stories of one of Earth’s most vital and endangered ecosystems! @mangrovephotographyawards @mangroveactionproject Photographer credits in order of how they appear: 1. Mark Ian Cook: A flock of Roseate Spoonbills glide over a lemon shark hunting mullet in the shallow, mangrove-lined waters of Florida Bay. 2. Shyjith Onden Cheriyath: Captured at dawn in the serene wetlands of Al Zorah Mangrove Reserve, UAE, this aerial photograph showcases a graceful formation of flamingos wading through still, shallow waters. 3. Alex Lindbloom: A large female cuttlefish pauses momentarily before continuing to lay eggs in the shallow reef beneath the mangroves. 4. Ramprasad Dutta: “In the Sundarbans, a massive crocodile rests near a tiny mudskipper. Despite the size difference, the fish shows no fear. Their contrasting colors create a rare, captivating moment in the wild 5. Kingshuk Partha: In the restricted waters of the Shibsha River in Khulna, Bangladesh, fishers defy seasonal bans, casting illegal nets in the Sundarbans buffer zone. 6. Kaushik Ghosh: The elusive tiger finally revealed itself in the afternoon, emerging beneath the Hental tree, like a blossom unfolding in the wild. #WorldMangroveDay #StandForNature #MPA25 #MangrovePhotographyAwards
gifts.mission-blue.org
Jul 26, 2025Instagram
Hello! I'm Salome, a marine scientist who investigates and explores species that live at the edge of the light zone, including kelp forests, my latest obsession. I’m from Trinidad & Tobago, even though I am equal parts British, German & Venezuelan, and I often find myself code-switching between those identities. I originally studied Geography -- I never imagined a marine career. I was actually afraid of the sea and never saw people like me doing this kind of work. But in my mid-20s, I got a scholarship to learn SCUBA diving and coral reef surveying in Tobago. This experience flipped a switch, sparking a deep, lasting connection to the ocean. I went on to complete a Master's on Caribbean reefs and climate change, followed by a research job in the Galápagos at the Charles Darwin Foundation, exploring and characterizing deep-sea ecosystems. There, I led a pilot study using small ROVs to find deep reef habitats between 40-150m and accidentally discovered kelp forests. The rest is PhD history...(More in the next post) #Kelp #Seaweed #Galapagos #hopespots #galapagosnationalpark #blackinmarinescience
gifts.mission-blue.org
Jul 25, 2025Instagram
“People say, why should I care about the ocean? Because the ocean touches you, whoever you are or wherever you are, with every breath you take.” @dr.sylviaearle 📍Gulf of California Hope Spot 🎥 Sea Legacy
gifts.mission-blue.org
Jul 24, 2025Instagram
Los Reyes del Océano! Que criaturas tan bellas! Por más momentos así…. Libres siempre! @sandrabessudo @fundacionmalpelo @migramarnet @mission_blue @saveourseasfoundation
gifts.mission-blue.org
Jul 24, 2025Instagram
10 Things You Didn’t Know About Kelp! 🌿 Kelp forests are the largest marine habitat on Earth Found on every continent except Antarctica, kelp forests cover more than one-third of the world’s coastlines. 🌿 Kelps are champion growers Giant kelp is reported to grow up to 18 inches per day in ideal conditions, making them the second fastest-growing organisms on the planet, just behind certain bamboo species! 🌿 Kelp forests are home to hundreds of species From tiny snails and sea stars to larger animals like otters, seals, and finfish, kelp forests support both resident and migratory species. 🌿 There are many species of kelp “Kelp” isn’t a single species, but a broad term for large brown algae, most of which fall in the order Laminariales. 🌿 Kelp forests are under threat Like coral reefs, kelp forests are among the marine ecosystems most vulnerable to climate change. Rising ocean temperatures can trigger overgrazing by native sea urchins, resulting in the loss of kelp canopy. 🌿 You’ve probably eaten kelp, even without realizing it Kelp is a staple in many traditional cuisines—particularly across East Asia, where it’s used in soups, broths, and seaweed snacks. But it also appears in everyday products! 🌿 Kelp inspires artists around the world The majesty of kelp forests have sparked the imagination of artists working in mediums from photography, sculpture, textiles, and ceramic. 🌿 Kelp forests are underwater nurseries Kelp forests serve as important habitat for the young of many species of fish, crustaceans, and invertebrates, as their dense stands can help provide shelter from predators and strong currents. 🌿 Kelp forests protect coastlines Healthy kelp forests can act as natural physical barriers to protect coastlines from erosion by buffering the impact of waves and storms on the coast. 🌿 You can help the kelp! Warming oceans are the biggest threat to kelp forests worldwide - so any action you take that fights climate change is also one that helps the kelp. You can also directly support organizations worldwide working on kelp research and restoration. And, you can spread the word, as raising awareness is one of the most powerful tools we have!
gifts.mission-blue.org
Jul 23, 2025Instagram
Arctic Reflections from Chief Strategist Dan Laffoley @danl2205 Help protect the Arctic by signing the petition (🔗in bio) #BIGACE #VoicesfortheVoiceless #OceanGeographic @oceangeographic #ClimateAvengers #SavetheArctic #IndigenousRights #ClimateAction #climatechange #arctic #arcticsea #packice #HopeSpots
gifts.mission-blue.org
Jul 22, 2025Instagram
It's Coral Reef Awareness Week! Coral reefs only cover about 1% of Earth's surface, but they support over a quarter of all ocean species. Over 40 Hope Spots encompass coral reef ecosystems, from the dazzling deep sea off of California to the stunning and renowned Great Barrier Reef off Australia. These ecosystems are vital to the marine environment; however, they're feeling the effects of humans and a changing world. Here are a few ways YOU can support coral reefs: 🪸 practice safe diving and snorkeling (keep fins off the reef and look, don't touch) 🪸 use reef-safe sunscreen 🪸 reduce your carbon footprint 🪸 recycle and make sure you're disposing trash properly 🪸 volunteer and vote for change 📍Wotho Atoll Hope Spot 📸 Heather Miller 📍Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park Hope Spot 📸 Tet Lara 📍Great Barrier Reef Hope Spot 📸 Grumpy Turtle Creative #CoralReefAwarenessWeek #CoralReefAwareness #Coral #HopeSpots
gifts.mission-blue.org
Jul 22, 2025Instagram
Kelp forests are highly productive ecosystems, fostering a greater variety and higher density of plants and animals than almost any other ocean ecosystem! Between canopy kelp (like giant kelp and bull kelp) and understory kelp (feather boa kelp, stalked kelp, winged kelp, etc.), these dense groupings of kelp offer a variety of habitats, making it perfect for all sorts of creatures - big and small! Kelp forests also offer a continuous source of food, aiding grazers and other creatures that, in turn, support the larger food web. From snails and sea stars to sharks, sea lions, and seabirds, kelp forests are biodiversity hot-spots, making them a vital ecosystem to safeguard 🌿 🌊 📸 Taylor Griffith 📸 Taylor Griffith 📸 Erick Morales Oyola 📸 Taylor Griffith 📸 Kieran Wood 📸 Paul Chetirkin / NOAA #KelpForests #Kelp #MarineBiodiversity
gifts.mission-blue.org
Jul 18, 2025Instagram
Protect the Arctic. Protect our future. Hear from Sylvia, Earle, Michael Aw and Dan Laffoley on why action is so urgent. We need your help now!!’ The Arctic is melting. Without sea ice to reflect sunlight, the dark ocean absorbs heat, accelerating global warming and exacerbating the melting at the poles. With changing sea ice, the entire ecosystem is disrupted, and with less of the sea frozen over, the Arctic is now vulnerable to further industrial exploration and exploitation. The Arctic needs our help, now more than ever. Sign the petition below to call on global leaders to protect this vital ecosystem. https://tinyurl.com/BIGACEPETITION #BIGACE #VoicesfortheVoiceless #OceanGeographic @oceangeographic @ClimateAvengers #SavetheArctic #IndigenousRights #ClimateAction #climatechange #Arctic #Arcticsea #Packice #AuroraExpeditions #Explorersclub
gifts.mission-blue.org
Jul 17, 2025Instagram
"Algae — they are ancient. They go back in time long before there were dinosaurs, before there were fish. We’re talking half a billion years ago [these algae arose], and they are still in reasonably unchanged form. Some are the green algae that form a calcareous matrix that enables them to be preserved as fossils, others are soft and haven’t been retained." @dr.sylviaearle for @smithsonianmagazine on her career with seaweed - read the full article through the link in our bio! 🌿 📸 NOAA Photo Library 📸 Danielle Olson / NMNH 📸 Emma Saaty / NMNH
gifts.mission-blue.org
Jul 16, 2025Instagram
🇹🇴 Safeguarding iconic species of Tonga’s deep waters. A coalition of respected ocean and environmental leaders—including Prince Hussain Aga Khan, Sir Richard Branson, Gigi Brisson, Chris Butler-Stroud, Dr. Sylvia Earle, Lord Fakafanua, Michael Fishbach, Dr. Jane Goodall, Dr. Carl Safina, and Brian Skerry—have signed a letter to Tonga’s Minister of Tourism and Justice, encouraging stronger protections for humpback whales. Whale-watching is a vital part of Tonga’s ecotourism economy—but rising pressure from social media-driven tourism is leading to more frequent disturbances during a critical time for breeding and calving. The letter calls for respectful but urgent enforcement of existing guidelines for swimmers and whale-watchers, highlighting Tonga’s unique opportunity to lead on sustainable, science-based marine tourism. We whole-heartedly thank all signatories for supporting this important call to action. 📸: Hussain Aga Khan, @focusedonnature
gifts.mission-blue.org
Jul 15, 2025Instagram
Manta and devil rays are in trouble, and time is running out. All 9 known species are now threatened with extinction. In some places, their populations have dropped by over 90%, driven by overfishing, meat and gill plate trade, and false claims of “sustainable” catch. This November, world leaders will meet at CITES CoP20 to decide their fate. We’re calling for Appendix I protection, to end international commercial trade and give these ocean giants a real chance of survival. 🌊 📸 Join the fight: Get your #SaveTheMantas T-shirt Take a photo Upload it to the Manta Trust campaign page, and your socials, and use hashtag #SaveTheMantas Your image will be part of a giant mural at the CITES conference, showing the world these rays are worth protecting. 🐋✨ Visit mantatrust.org/save-the-mantas (linked in our bio) to get involved! 🎥 @mantatrust #CITES #MantaTrust #OceanConservation #StopTheTrade #SaveTheMantas #CITESCoP20
gifts.mission-blue.org
Jul 14, 2025Instagram
Great Fringing Reef of the Red Sea Hope Spot Champion HEPCA shares updates from UNOC. #UNOC #UNOC2025 @theoceanagency @hepca_org
gifts.mission-blue.org
Jul 11, 2025Instagram
"Walrus are another iconic species in the Arctic. Just like polar bears, the effects of climate change and the melting sea ice are having a profound impact on them. Losing the sea ice means they increasingly have to haul out on land. This frequently leads to overcrowding, increased competition for resources and the potential for deadly stampedes. Add to that impacts from shipping and oil exploration, and the situation becomes even more concerning." writes Hope Spot Council Chair Dan Laffoley @danl2205 📸 Dan Laffoley #BIGACE #VoicesfortheVoiceless, #OceanGeographic, #ClimateAvengers, #SavetheArctic #IndigenousRights #ClimateAction #climatechange #arctic #arcticsea #packice #HopeSpots @oceangeographic
gifts.mission-blue.org
Jul 10, 2025Instagram
"In the last few days we were lucky to encounter polar bears at the edge of the pack ice in the central Arctic Ocean. This species is emblematic of the plight of this critical ice ecosystem. Ice is thinning and the edge of the pack ice is retreating at an alarming rate. For polar bears, this means greater challenges in finding food and an increasing distance of water to navigate between the pack ice and the northern shores of Svalbard. The plight of the polar bears is the plight of our futures because as the ice melts so does the stability of our climate and ocean system that sustains life on Earth." Hope Spot Council Chair Dan Laffoley @danl2205 📸 Dan Laffoley 📸 Dan Laffoley 📸 Taylor Griffith #BIGACE #VoicesfortheVoiceless, #OceanGeographic, #ClimateAvengers, #SavetheArctic #IndigenousRights #ClimateAction #climatechange #arctic #arcticsea #packice #HopeSpots @oceangeographic
gifts.mission-blue.org
Jul 9, 2025Instagram
From the BIG ACE Expedition in the Arctic, Hope Spot Council Chair Dan Laffoley @danl2205 writes, "The Arctic is an intimately linked ecosystem. When the ice melts, ecosystem connections change or are lost. Seabirds feeding by the ice breed in vast colonies on the cliffs. The birds provide food for predators such as glaucus gulls, polar foxes and even polar bears. The nutrients the colonies produce enable tundra plants to exist on the slopes below, showing as district brown or green areas. These plants in turn provide food for species such as the Svalbard reindeer. Break the links in this chain and you disrupt the resiliency of the arctic ecosystems in which we all depends for climate and weather stability around the globe." 📸 Dan Laffoley 📸 Dan Laffoley 📸 Sylvia Earle #BIGACE #VoicesfortheVoiceless, #OceanGeographic, @oceangeographic #ClimateAvengers, #SavetheArctic #IndigenousRights #ClimateAction #ClimateChange #Arctic #ArcticSea #PackIce #HopeSpots
gifts.mission-blue.org
Jul 8, 2025Instagram
Tropical Sea of Peru Hope Spot Champion Daniel Cáceres Bartra and Vicerrector Académico at Universidad Científica del Sur Nathaly Vargas share their goals for UNOC. #UNOC #UNOC2025 #HopeSpots
gifts.mission-blue.org
Jul 7, 2025Instagram
Are orcas possible tool users? A newly released scientific study reveals that these cetaceans use kelp to massage each other, likely serving a hygiene function, as well as a social one. This practice may be their version of “allogrooming,” where primates groom each other, leading researchers to label the observed behavior “allokelping.” Article via @bbc
gifts.mission-blue.org
Jul 4, 2025Instagram
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