As well as predicting World Cup scores…it seems octopuses are also brilliant mimics.
The Indonesian mimic octopus can disguise itself as a variety of different dangerous fish and sea snakes to ward off predators. This behaviour, making itself more prominent instead of blending into the background is so unusual scientists have been studying them to find out why.
This 10ft whale leapt onto a couple’s yacht just off the coast of Cape Town. The Southern Right Whale, known for its bad eyesight, is thought simply didn’t see the boat. It’s a type of baleen whale, who don’t have teeth and instead filter the seawater for tiny plankton to feed on. Despite their massive size (these ones can grow up to 61ft and 80 tonnes!) baleen whales are known for ‘breaching’, leaping completely out of the water.
Natural England are on a mission to save our seas! Upload your photos of underwater wildlife with where you found it and they’ll use this info to decide where to put up protected Marine Conservation Zones. These will provide a much needed safe haven for wildlife – including the Tompot blennie (above)!
Some harrowing news about the fish stock in European waters…I’m particularly concerned about the deep ocean being wiped out. We’ve barely even explored it! In fact we know more about the moon than we do about abyssal waters. If you want to find out more, check out the award winning film The End of the Line.
