Our ocean is home to a diverse range of species that carry out their daily activities with little concern. Take the surgeonfish, which spends its days peacefully grazing on the green and brown algae of coral reefs. But, beneath this tranquility, ambush predators patiently hunt for their next meal.
“Ambush predators,” or “sit-and-wait predators,” use a unique hunting strategy. Unlike their counterparts, “pursuit predators,” that rely on speed and endurance to chase down their prey, ambush predators conserve energy by concealing themselves. They wait for the right moment to launch a sudden, overwhelming attack aimed at swiftly incapacitating their target. Let’s take a closer look at how ambush predators hunt.
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Attracting
Marine ambush predators use a variety of tactics to draw their prey within striking distances. For example, stonefish have excellent camouflage—their bodies are typically brown with orange, yellow or red patches and are textured to resemble the surrounding rocks or coral. Stonefish use this to their advantage while hunting and will wait for fish to swim by and then swiftly attack and swallow their prey.
Assessment
The next phase of an ambush predator’s hunting strategy is assessment. Ambush predators must time their strikes carefully, detecting prey, assessing if it’s worth attacking and striking when it is in exactly the right place. Ambush predators have evolved a variety of adaptations to facilitate this assessment. The appropriately named tripodfish uses its extremely long front fins to identify prey since it lacks proper vision in low-light environments.
Capture
Following the assessment phase comes the crucial moment of capturing prey. Ambush predators have adaptations for swiftly and securely seizing their victims. The frogfish uses suction to draw both water and prey into its mouth, followed by swallowing and closing the esophagus with a muscular mechanism to prevent escape. The frogfish captures its prey in as fast as six milliseconds.
Why you should care
Ambush predators use their amazing evolutionary adaptations to hunt their prey and survive. Though they may sound like bullies, this couldn’t be further from the truth; ambush predators play a vital role in maintaining the ecological balance in marine ecosystems through regulating prey populations. Their existence is essential for a healthy ocean.
Unfortunately, ambush predators aren’t immune to threats like climate change, risky drilling and plastic pollution. That’s why Ocean Conservancy is working tirelessly to protect our ocean from today’s greatest challenges. We are on the front lines of ocean protection, investing in research, leadership and advocacy that advance evidence-based solutions. But we can’t do it without you. Take action and join the fight to protect our ocean, marine wildlife and the communities that depend on it.
The post How Ambush Predators Rule the Waves 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.