SeaLegacy

@sealegacy

We use the power of media and storytelling to amplify ocean solutions. 📍- 🇳🇿 aboard the #SeaLegacy1 Founders: @mitty , @paulnicklen , and @andy_mann
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If you followed the shark through time to meet their earliest relative, how far would your escort lead you? Shark fossils can be traced back around 450 million years to the Late Ordovician Period, which is around 200 million years before dinosaurs ruled the land. To uncover their origin, scientists found fossilized denticles, which are the materials that make up shark skin. But experts haven’t stumbled upon ancient teeth dating back that far, suggesting that the earliest shark relatives were toothless. Although the shark family has ruled the waters for so long, many species face extinction. But within a marine protected area, sharks find a safe haven from fishing within flourishing habitats. You can help us expand protections in our ocean by signing up for our giving community, the Tide. Visit the link in our bio to learn more. Photos by @mitty #sharks #nature #ocean #shark #history #photography #science
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18 hours ago
Are you ready for a sea cow celebration? It’s #ManateeAppreciationDay ! You may wonder why we owe gratitude to these slow-moving aquatic mammals. Besides their obvious adorable appearance and endearing, gentle nature, we also appreciate manatees for the vital role they play in their ecosystems. To maintain their up to 1,200-pound figures, manatees stay munching. As they graze on roughly 100 pounds a day of their favorite food, seagrass, they are actually keeping the building blocks of their ecosystem thriving. By mowing the underwater meadows with their extensive feasting, they keep the seagrass short and help maintain the meadows’ health, so this hero plant can go on to provide food and shelter and capture carbon. Learn more about how seagrass supports our ocean’s ecosystems by visiting the link in our bio! Photos by @paulnicklen #manatee #ocean #nature #planet #photography #seagrass
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1 day ago
Below the surface of Coiba National Park in Panama’s Gulf of Chiriqui, marine life congregates in its crystal-clear waters. Here, coral flourishes as humpback whales, sea turtles, manta rays, sharks, and whale sharks journey through the @UNESCO World Heritage Site. But within this astounding ecosystem exists a delicate balance that could face a devastating transformation into an empty wasteland if sediment dredging goes forward for a new port development. This bleak outlook carried through the ocean current from the nearby protected area to Coiba could become a reality if current plans to build the proposed Puerto Barú press forward. And yet, development of Puerto Barú directly contradicts prior Panamanian marine conservation progress, most recently with the expansion of Banco Volcán and Cordillera de Coiba Marine Protected Areas, as well as the national plan to establish a Blue Carbon market. If constructed here, ships must traverse a 20-mile-long channel through the protected area to reach the port. The corridor would require dredging 9 million cubic meters of sediment, plus an additional 800,000 m3 every two years. In doing so, Panama uproots the surrounding mangrove ecosystem– diminishing the coast’s natural defense system against storms and eliminating shelter for sharks, rays, dolphins, and the critically endangered sawfish, a species that may no longer be found anywhere else on Earth. The impact travels beyond the tangled roots, as the ecosystem also provides a natural filter that traps sediment and prevents debris from damaging highly diverse ecosystems like Coiba. Fortunately, there’s another viable location for the project between Puerto Armuelles and the Palo Blanco River mouth. This other potential site rests adjacent to deep waters and is the only location that can accommodate shipping fleets without the need for dredging. We urge Panama to relocate Puerto Barú to preserve this vital ecosystem and the communities that rely on it. Join us and add your voice by sharing this post and tagging @amp_panama , @arap_panama , and @unescoworldheritage . Video by @paulnicklen @andy_mann @mitty #marineprotection #ocean #panama #nature
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3 days ago
Embodying today’s star, why don’t you tag along with us for Species Spotlight Sunday? We latch on with our ocean’s favorite passenger princess, the remora! To combat their slow swimming speed, remoras often hitch a ride on sharks, turtles, whales, other larger marine animals, or even boats! Sometimes, their host doesn’t mind the fish’s presence. In this case, biologists describe the relationship where an organism, like the remora, benefits from the relationship and the other, like a shark, remains unaffected as “commensalism.” But often, the remora will feast on parasites that sit atop their ride’s skin. So when both animals are bettered by their interaction, we call this “mutualism.” Some fast-moving species, like dolphins, however, don’t care for these fish hitchhikers, as they may create drag, and interfere with the animal’s hydrodynamics. To dislodge the remoras’ powerful suction, dolphins will launch through the surface, spin rapidly in the air, then crash back into the water. A combination of centrifugal force and the water’s impact usually shakes the fish free. Remoras suction to their host with the top of their heads which are adorned with a flat disk made up of parallel plates. Each disk typically holds 16 to 22 individual plates. Studies show that they don’t just latch on wherever they can. Remoras are partial to a shark’s belly, and will seek out that sweet spot 40% of the time, likely because they are seeking out a place that moves the least while the host swims. The fish’s strong sticking and careful removal have inspired engineers to study remora’s detachment mechanisms in order to incorporate similar strategies in underwater robotics! Do you think the information has stuck? Visit our story and test your knowledge in our Species Spotlight Sunday quiz. Video by @paulnicklen #nature #shark #remora #ocean
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4 days ago
Highly migratory species like the whale shark pass through various countries’ exclusive economic zones along their over ten thousand mile journeys. So, if we wanted to eliminate the threat of ship strikes or bycatch along their entire route, how could we do it? In our ocean, regions or Indigenous leaders can establish a boundary, called a marine protected area, where certain harmful activities, like industrial fishing, are prohibited. But in addition, neighboring territories can collaborate to establish a marine protected area network. This way, if a migratory species leaves one safe zone, they lead right into another one. Learn more about how marine protections are created, and what they can accomplish for the area they’re protecting at the link in our bio! Photos by @mitty #ocean #whaleshark #marineprotection #nature #mpa
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5 days ago
Are you looking for a reason to celebrate on this fabulous Friday? Besides the obligatory end of the week festivities, our planet has given us a little extra cause with #WorldWaterDay and #InternationalDayoftheSeal ! Just like the seal and every other organism on Earth, water connects us all. While some, like the curious pinnipeds, may spend much of their time submerged, or others who live their entire lives below the sea, our very human existence remains entirely intertwined with water, even those of us hundreds of miles from the shore. Our ocean absorbs heat, captures and stores carbon, produces oxygen, and provides food! So when we work to improve the health of the sea, it's not just the charismatic creatures that glide below the surface that we're aiming to protect. Our ocean manufactures the proper conditions that keep this planet habitable for all. In celebration of the seal and with appreciation for their aquatic domain, help us restore our ocean for every creature we share this water-filled planet with by visiting the link in our bio and signing up for the Tide. Video by @paulnicklen #seal #leopardseal #ocean #water #nature #photography
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6 days ago
“Stories have the power to galvanize the people, topple empires, and unite us all under the banner of one cause. This is why I chose storytelling as a medium for giving our ocean a voice. Through my images and words, I strive to reveal the truth of what is happening to our changing planet, fragile wildlife, and the people fighting to protect it," co-founder Cristina Mittermeier. Storytelling unifies humanity. With the right narrative, we can look at each other and our world in ways we’ve never dreamt of before. We step into the lives of those we’ve never met, reach places much too far to travel, and imagine what life is like beyond our own limited experiences. Our co-founders know that with opened minds, we can reach newfound levels of togetherness. When we better understand one another, we’ve already taken the first step to changing the world around us. And in our case, as audiences coalesce around a shared love of our planet, we’re better prepared to unite and stand up for its protection. On today’s #WorldStorytellingDay we celebrate what meaningful impacts these shared tales have set in motion. Our team embraces the weight of storytelling’s responsibility, and so, we capture the realities faced by our ocean, its ecosystems, and the communities surrounding it. Our ocean’s unfolding story is deployed in a way that highlights why we should come together to protect it. Thank you to those who craft and channel others voices through storytelling, and to those who lend their voices and experiences to help create compelling stories that make our global community stronger. Help us continue to uncover and amplify stories from around the world by signing up for our Tide community at the link in our bio. Video by @paulnicklen @andy_mann @mitty #ocean #nature #storytelling #animals #photography #bear #whale #ray #crocodile
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8 days ago
We’ve traveled to the depths of the sea, through the whipping Antarctic winds, and all over the globe through our co-founders’ lenses. But have you ever wondered what it’s like to chase nature’s most impactful stories? @natgeo ’s new series “Photographer,” now streaming on @disneyplus and @hulu , shifts the focus onto the changemakers behind the camera. Watch the first award-winning episode, featuring @mitty and @paulnicklen and directed by our friends, @jimmychin and @chaivasarhelyi now! Catch a sneak peak at the new series by visiting the link in our bio. Photos 1&3 by @mitty Photos 2&4 by @paulnicklen #photographer #ocean #nature #nowstreaming #wildlife
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9 days ago
We sure are lucky to have flourishing seagrass meadows at work in our ocean! As we celebrate all things green for #StPatricksDay , we shine a special species spotlight on the plants that engineer vibrant ecosystems beneath our ocean’s surface. Seagrass grows around the world, off the coast of every continent except for Antarctica. When you slip below the surface in shallow waters, some may confuse seagrass for seaweed. However, seagrass is structured like a traditional plant, whereas seaweed, or kelp, belongs to the classification of algae. These underwater meadows resemble more like land or terrestrial plants. They have root systems that grow beneath the sea floor to absorb nutrients, and even flower and spread seeds like terrestrial plants do. Scientists have identified over 70 species of the plant, and each helps to support the health of our ocean and planet as a whole. Seagrass meadows overflow with diverse sea life. The dense intermingling of seagrass foliage creates plenty of shelter for smaller animals to hide in. They also catch larvae or eggs that attach to the flittering leaves while they develop. Larger creatures and marine mammals utilize seagrass as a haven and nursery for their young, too. Herbivores flock to the meadows for a leafy green meal, attracting predators to scope out the scene. According to @whoi.ocean , if we zoom in on one single acre of a seagrass ecosystem, resources are provided to over 40,000 fish and 50 million invertebrates! In all, over 20% of our planet’s fisheries depend on seagrass as a nursery. Beyond the habitat itself, seagrass meadows greatly benefit life all around them, Seagrass absorbs nutrients from the surrounding ocean, helping to improve water quality. They catch and hold sediments in place before they’re dragged out to sea, minimizing coastal erosion. But maybe most importantly, they absorb and sequester massive amounts of carbon. Despite only taking up .1% of the sea floor, it’s estimated that seagrass stores 18% of all the carbon absorbed by our entire ocean. Are you feeling lucky on this St. Patrick’s Day? Visit our story and test your knowledge of these green grass heroes! 🎥 by @paulnicklen #seagrass
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11 days ago
How long do harp seal pups keep their fluffy, snow-white puffball fur? Seal pups are not born with blubber, so the thick, long fur, called lanugo, absorbs sunlight and helps to keep them warm. This adorable, yet functional look only lasts for the first three to four weeks of their life before they shed the fur. As they grow older, they adopt a light-grey appearance and a signature round, black spot on their backs that gives them the nickname, “saddleback seals.” Photos by @mitty #seal #harpseal #babyanimal #cute #nature #ocean #science #photography
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12 days ago
Orcas jaunt through the sea in their pods, plotting up a scheme to catch their next meal. But how do they master such elaborate maneuvers? On top of their exceptional intelligence, orcas can live up to 90 years – leaving plenty of time to sharpen their strategies and learn from their typical female leader. Who would you want in your orca pod? Photos by @mitty #ocean #nature #planet #orca #planetearth #photography #underwater
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13 days ago
“My job is to give a voice to the voiceless and bring these stories back [to audiences] so we can create change,” Andy Mann. Happy Birthday to our co-founder @andy_mann ! Share in the celebration and help us honor Andy’s dedication to restoring our planet’s ecosystem by joining our Tide community at the link in our bio. Following a ceaseless spirit of adventure, co-founder Andy Mann has seen the world from its tallest peaks to its most secluded shores. As he’s reached each corner of the planet and transported us through his lens to places few others have reached, he’s given so many the chance to experience our natural world’s true wildness in ways we could only dream of otherwise. Today, we celebrate Andy and show our appreciation not just for the way he brings humanity face to face with faraway wildlife, but especially for how he deploys these connections as a force for positive change. We know that with Andy in the lead, we’re guided by his genuine love for the life on Earth, that’s channeled into dynamic action. With him at the helm, we remain steadfast toward a brighter future for our planet. Photos by @andy_mann #sharks #nature #birthday #planet #ocean #leadership
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14 days ago