Did you know that more than 80% of our ocean is still unexplored? Scientists have made massive progress in marine exploration in the past century, yet there is still so much more we have to learn about our ocean. An ink-credible incidental discovery made in 2023 is a prime example of this.
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In the summer of 2023, a team of scientists boarded Schmidt Ocean Institute’s R/V Falkor (too). They planned to study seamounts off Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. They discovered more than they anticipated throughout two expeditions in the region. The team, led by Dr. Beth Orcutt of the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences and Dr. Jorge Cortés of the University of Costa Rica, identified four new octopus species.
One of the species—the “Dorado octopus,” named after its place of discovery on a rocky outcrop called El Dorado Hill—is thought to be a new species of Muusoctopus. Scientists think this genus may have evolved to brood its eggs near the warm waters leaking from nearby hydrothermal vents. When the research team discovered the Dorado octopus, it was doing exactly that. Brooding near these warmer areas could speed up the incubation process for octopus eggs, shortening the amount of time they are vulnerable to predators.
Janet Voight, Associate Curator of Invertebrate Zoology at the Field Museum, and Fiorella Vasquez of the Zoological Museum of the University of Costa Rica are writing formal descriptions of the animals. While these official descriptions have not yet been released, Voight noted that two of the other octopus species are also Muusoctopus, and the fourth is unlike anything she has ever seen before.
Four previously undescribed octopus species were not all this team found, either. When the scientists returned to the seamounts in December 2023, they saw the same scenes they had witnessed in June. The team also located two major octopus nurseries, a skate nursery and three hydrothermal springs, along with even more potential new species. During the two expeditions, more than 300 deep-sea specimens were collected for analysis from an area spanning about 100 square miles.
While ocean lovers wait with curiosity to learn all about the creatures discovered on this expedition, the importance of the work of researchers like those with Schmidt Ocean Institute cannot be overlooked. We must never forget that there is always more to learn about our ocean. Only with more knowledge of our blue planet can we fully protect it and the magnificent creatures that depend on a healthy ocean.
Be sure to visit Schmidt Ocean Institute’s website for updates on these discoveries, and check out Ocean Conservancy’s Action Center to learn how you can help us work to protect the ocean we all love so much.
The post Four New Octopus Species Discovered off Costa Rica appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.
This fall, Ocean Conservancy is celebrating its 41st annual International Coastal Cleanup® (ICC), once again bringing together volunteers to protect the beaches and waterways we all love. Ocean Conservancy recently hosted flagship events in Long Beach and Washington, D.C. that celebrated this global movement close to home.
Over the past four decades, nearly 20 million volunteers have rolled up their sleeves to remove more than 405 million pounds of trash from beaches and waterways around the world. And their impact extends far beyond what they collect. ICC volunteers have documented nearly 440 million individual items, creating the world’s largest marine debris database and providing invaluable information that helps Ocean Conservancy and others better understand—and tackle—ocean plastic pollution.
This year’s celebration continued that incredible legacy. At Alamitos Beach in Southern California, more than 150 volunteers gathered on September 19 and removed 1,109 pounds of trash, alongside members of Team USA Artistic Swimming and Olympic and Paralympic athletes. In Washington, D.C., 439 volunteers gathered on September 26 to remove 2,182 pounds of trash from Anacostia Park along the Anacostia River.
“I am so grateful to all of the volunteers who came out today for our ocean—and every volunteer who has made the last 41 years of impact possible,” said Ocean Conservancy’s Senior Director of Conservation Cleanups, Allison Schutes. “Every piece of plastic collected helps protect marine animals and habitats and contributes to research and advocacy.”
And the impact doesn’t stop when the cleanup ends. During International Coastal Cleanup events, volunteers do more than remove trash: They document what they find, helping build a clearer picture of the plastic pollution threatening our waterways and wildlife. Through the Clean Swell® app or paper data sheets, ICC volunteers contribute to Ocean Conservancy’s online, open-access database, the world’s largest repository of marine debris data. These records help scientists, conservation groups and governments understand pollution trends and identify solutions.
That data can also drive meaningful policy change. ICC data were recently used in a peer-reviewed study showing that plastic bag bans lead to reduced plastic bag pollution. The data have also helped advance policies ranging from California’s SB 54 to Florida’s balloon release ban and the federal Farewell to Foam Act. From a neighborhood cleanup to statewide action, every piece of documented trash helps build the evidence needed to tackle plastic pollution at its source.
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Want to get involved?
Whether you join a local cleanup, record the trash you find using the Clean Swell app, or take action to reduce plastic pollution, you can be part of this incredible collective effort to protect our ocean. Here are a few ways to make an impact:
- Find a cleanup near you.
- Download our Clean Swell app to easily record the trash you collect.
- Take action to reduce plastic pollution.
- Explore our Wildlife Impact Calculator to estimate the potential benefits of your cleanup for marine wildlife.
- Donate today to Ocean Conservancy to help us fight plastic pollution for years to come!
The post Celebrating 41 Years of the International Coastal Cleanup® appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.
For generations, stories of people being swallowed by enormous sea creatures have painted awe-inspiring tales of human survival and perseverance. From the biblical account of Jonah to the legendary battle of Hercules and Cetus to the timeless story of Pinocchio, these legendary tales have captivated people since time immemorial.
But all these stories raise the question: Could someone really be swallowed by a whale? With the premiere of the film Whalefall on October 16, 2026, you may find yourself in conversations about this very situation. Based on the bestselling 2023 thriller authored by Daniel Kraus, the film tells the story of a scuba diver who is accidentally gobbled up by a sperm whale while searching for the remains of his late father. With only an hour of oxygen left in his tank, the diver must fight to escape the whale’s gut before time runs out.
The answer to whether it’s anatomically possible for a whale to swallow a person is actually a bit more complicated than you might think.