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Spotted eagle rays have been observed in Keys waters, but little is known about where they spend most of their time. (Image above is a unrelated filephoto)

Help keep an eye out for spotted eagle rays

In 2009, Mote Marine Laboratory with the National Aquarium in Baltimore initiated a conservation research program on the life history, reproduction, and population status of the elasmobranch Aetobatus narinari, commonly known as the spotted eagle ray To identify where these rays migrate, Mote has tagged animals with traditional tags and with satellite tags that allow the rays’ movements to be followed as they travel.

We don't know if the rays in the Keys come from Southwest Florida, or perhaps even Mexico or Cuba, and we don't know if rays in the Keys favor particular reefs

—Mote biologist Kim Hull

A Vampire Squid (Vampyroteuthis infernalis) drawn by Carl Chun, 1911.

What do vampire squids eat (it's not what you think)

The vampire squid (Vampyroteuthis infernalis) is a small, deep-sea cephalopod found throughout the temperate and tropical oceans of the world. It's easy to imagine the vampire squid as a nightmarish predator. It lurks in the eternal midnight of the deep sea, has a dark red body, huge blue eyes, and a cloak-like web that stretches between its eight arms.

Molnár János: Exploring Budapest’s Underwater Caves

A rusty tram clatters past us. An uninterrupted line of cars slowly moves along Leó Frankel Street. Businessmen in dark suits hurry to their desks. Women in high heels walk carefully on the cobbled pavement. Between the houses, the ferries on the Danube can be seen, drifting past the Isle of Margaret that divides the town. We are in the middle of the Budapest morning rush hour. Our team attracts attention from passersby.

Salmon may have inner compass

In the study, scientists examined 56 years of fisheries data documenting the return of sockeye salmon to the Fraser River in British Columbia – and the route they chose around Vancouver Island showed a correlation with changes in the intensity of the geomagnetic field.

Salmon originating from Oregon that has spent two to four years in the northern Pacific Ocean off Canada or Alaska would return as adults, the scientists speculate, journeying southward off the coast until they reached a magnetic field intensity similar to that of their youth.

Murter Island, Croatia

Great viz along the outer reef of Kornati Island.

For quite a time, I had been wanting to go back to Croatia to see first hand what this young nation with ancient roots had to offer, both below and above the surface.

Maldives pledges entire country to become bioreserve in 2017

In response to the call for champions in support of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, the Republic of Maldives has pledged to become the first nation where the entire country and its Exclusive Economic Zone will be a Biosphere Reserve.

The Biosphere Reserve’s strategy must integrate management of natural resources with conservation and sustainable use. The plan also must seek to ensure equitable distribution of natural resource wealth. Currently, there are 610 biosphere reserves in 117 countries.

European perch
European perch

Fish on psychiatric drugs behave odd

New research conducted by Swedish researchers finds that anxiolytic drugs in surface waters alter animal behaviours that are known to have ecological and evolutionary consequences

Researchers from Umeå University in Sweden examined how perch behaved when exposed to oxazepam, a drug commonly used to treat anxiety disorders in humans.

The scientists exposed the fish to concentrations of the drug similar to those found in the waters near densely populated areas in Sweden.

How can physical barriers, such as isolation on a particular island, lead to the formation of new species through the process of natural selection?
How can physical barriers, such as isolation on a particular island, lead to the formation of new species through the process of natural selection?

How do new species of coral form in the ocean?

In a recent publication in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, or PNAS, Hellberg and his graduate student Carlos Prada investigate how corals specialize to particular environments in the ocean.

It is very well known that physical barriers and reproductive isolation can lead to the formation of new species on land, especially among plants and animals with short generation times such as insects and annual plants.

Dan Orr announces retirement

Dan Orr has been a diver for nearly 50 years and a dive professional for over 40 years.

Throughout the years, Orr has been involved in many facets of recreational, commercial, scientific and military diving.

He has worked and taught recreational diving in a retail store, developed and implemented course curricula in the university/academic environment, supervised research efforts in the field of scientific diving, tested diving equipment for military contractors and served on the boards of various nonprofit organizations.

Conditions at the Cayman Turtle Farm make it impossible for the turtles to express their natural behaviour and can lead to disease, injury and even cannibalism.

Tanya Streeter speaks out against Cayman Turtle Farm

The World Society for the Protection of Animals WSPAhas handed in a petition with 144,000 signatures to the Cayman government

Information obtained by WSPA and a recent report into the conditions at the Cayman Turtle Farm (CTF) has confirmed that animal suffering is a major problem at the facility which is the most popular tourist attraction in the Cayman Islands.

CTF is currently housing around 7,000 endangered sea turtles in cramped, unhealthy and diseased conditions