Marine Animals

They're older than dinosaurs, look a bit like aliens and eat almost anything they can find – and scientists just found them in Colombian waters
These researchers captured photos that wouldn’t look out of place in an art gallery and used them to confirm new species of comb jellies never recorded in Colombia before.

“This one day, we saw something darker.” Diver films "unbelievable" animal attack in Mexico
When this ocean filmmaker visited a sea lion colony in La Paz, this was the last thing he expected to see.

This haunting sound was captured near Bermuda in 1949. It's the oldest known whale song recording
Archivists at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution have uncovered the earliest known whale song recording, taken almost 80 years ago.
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"Ultimate ocean travellers": diver in Japan finds tiny animals with tentacles around their mouths
The reef-dwelling creature gave the Brazilian researcher a weird sense of déjà vu. Here's why

Is it ever ok to swim with dolphins?
Swimming with captive dolphins is definitely a no-no, but ‘swim with’ trips with wild animals are a more complex issue, says James Fair

“Beaching here could be lethal.” Dolphins in South Carolina have developed a genius – but deadly – hunting strategy. Watch the tense Attenborough-narrated footage
Younger bottlenose dolphins have been observed stranding themselves on mudbanks – but it’s a risky technique

This strange animal video may be the most oddly satisfying thing you see all day
Sand dollar exoskeletons are often found washed up after the animal has died. But this live individual has put on a hypnotic show that helps calm the mind.

“Seriously underestimated.” Shark experts looked into the eyes of this deep-sea giant and were stunned by what they saw
Researchers have long thought that Greenland sharks have poor vision but a new study reveals the opposite.

"Suddenly one shot to the surface... I'd never seen anything like this before"
A diver in the Maldives was lucky enough to film the exact moment a eagle ray decided to shoot up to the surface in a magnificent breach.

From coral reefs to songbirds, the natural world is losing its colour. Here’s why scientists are worried
Colour is far more than beauty – it's a powerful indicator of ecosystem health. And the planet is losing its hues

It's the size of a small car, weighs as much as an e-bike – and can live for an amazing 100 years...
The biggest crab in the world has a leg span of nearly 4 metres and weighs 13.6kg

It's bigger than a double bed, weighs the same as a scrambler motorbike – and has one deadly sting...
What are the largest jellyfish in the world? And how big can they grow? Stuart Blackman takes a look

It's longer than 4 buses put together, yet only as thick as a coin – and is one deadly predator...
Adrian Barnett explains why the Praya dubia is not just one of the longest predators in the ocean, but one of the most abundant too.

"We saw a severely exhausted humpback whale entangled in rope and chain. It was a heartbreaking sight" Watch remarkable video of an incredible rescue
These whale researchers were looking for their tagging equipment when they found an entangled whale. They knew they had to act – and fast

When the Titanic sank 3,800m into the Atlantic Ocean, strange animals moved into the wreck
Big-eyed fish, curious-looking brittle stars and white squat lobsters are all living at the wrecked ship, which sank to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean more than 100 years ago.

It’s the same size as Japan, can be seen from space and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and it’s teeming with thousands of species
The largest coral reef in the world is also the most famous, attracting millions of visitors each year

This prehistoric apex predator is older than trees, the Atlantic Ocean and even the North Star. A biologist explains why
Are sharks really older than trees? Yes – and a whole lot more, explains Will Newton

Scientists spent 160 days collecting samples from the bottom of the ocean. They had “virtually no idea” what lived there before
A team of researchers have collected hundreds of previously unknown species to understand the impact of deep-sea mining

Why is oil so deadly for birds' feathers?
Oil spill incidents always involve birds being rescued and cleaned – but why is oil so damaging, and in many cases fatal, to birds?

Meet the animal that's part vegetable and able to embed plants into its own body tissue - yes really!
The Costasiella sea slug is a rare example of a photosynthetic animal, says Stuart Blackman. Here's what's so special about it

Weirdest sea creatures - meet 15 strange ocean animals, including one that's part vegetable and one that resembles a toast rack
Have you heard of the Johnson's abyssal seadevil? Read about this strange ocean animal and more in our guide to the world's weirdest sea creatures

“It took me a few seconds to register what I was seeing.” Diver makes incredible discovery in Australian kelp forest
Researcher Océane Attlan just found a fish so rare it has only been recorded once since it was first discovered.

It's the length of a bus, weighs the same as a tank and can leap 12 metres high – oh and it's one of the world's best singers too...
Learn all humpback whales, giant sirens of the sea - from where they live to what they eat, and why they don't have teeth

Elusive tentacled animals that "avoid sunlight like the plague" spotted off coast of Norway
OceanX explorers filmed the drifting red helmet jellyfish in the deep waters off the Scandinavian coast.
