Largemouth Bass

Largemouth Bass Live

Largemouth Bass – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern But I’ll be one of the first to tell you that you don’t have to go deep to see amazing nature! This was a fun photo of a largemouth bass that I was able to take while exploring a freshwater quarry with my sister in Indiana. The […]

Long-Spined Crown-of-Thorns

Long-spined Crown of Thorns Live

Long-Spined Crown-of-Thorns – IUCN Conservation Status: Insufficient Data Over 1,500 species of fishes, invertebrates, and algae that call the nearshore waters of Hawai’i home My wife and I were on the most amazing snorkel trip of my life on the day that I took this photo. We had been in the water for about two […]

Atlantic Spadefish

Atlantic Spadefish Live

Atlantic Spadefish – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern You can find Atlantic spadefish in the shallow waters of the east coast These silvery zebra striped fish are called Atlantic spadefish. They grow to a couple feet long and can be found on their own or schooling with others. They tend to be unafraid of scuba divers. In fact, […]

Hawksbill Sea Turtle

Hawksbill Sea Turtle Live

Hawksbill – IUCN Conservation Status: Critically Endangered Hawksbills are smaller turtles than similarly looking green turtles This small hawksbill turtle is drifting with the current. Adult hawksbills will grow to about three feet long and weigh around 180 pounds. This little turtle was less than a foot long. We were able to snorkel with it for a short […]

Florida Softshell Turtle

Florida Softshell Turtle Live

Florida Softshell Turtle – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern They get this name from their cartilaginous carapace This is Virgil the Turtle. Virgil is a Florida softshell turtle that lives near Williston, Florida. Williston is a small town about half an hour south of Gainesville. North Central Florida is known for its fresh water springs, caverns, and caves. Virgil […]

Green Sea Turtle Swimming

Green Sea Turtle Swimming Live

Green Sea Turtle – IUCN Conservation Status: Endangered Green sea turtles are a common sighting in the Florida Keys Green turtles are a common sighting in the Florida Keys. They appear similar to a hawksbill turtle, however there are some identifying features we can look for. The green sea turtle bill is not beak-like.  Hawksbills have a […]

Green Sea Turtle Overhead

Green Sea Turtle Overhead Live

Green Sea Turtle – IUCN Conservation Status: Endangered The legs of the green sea turtle are well-adapted for swimming When I think of a drawing of a sea turtle, normally people will draw it to look just like this. That’s why I love this photo. With its four arms fully extended, the green sea turtle […]

Green Sea Turtle Resting

Green Sea Turtle Resting Live

Green Sea Turtle – IUCN Conservation Status: Endangered They can spend up to seven hours without taking a breath What is the green sea turtle doing laying on the sea floor for minutes on end? Is it hurt? Is it sick? Did it get injured? These are all questions that might pass through your mind […]

Bluespine Unicornfish

Bluespine Unicornfish Live

Bluespine Unicornfish – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern In Hawai’i the bluespine unicornfish is known as “kala” The bluespine unicornfish can be found in the Indo-Pacific. Here it is pictured in the calm water off Poipu Beach on the island of Kauai in Hawai’i. It is also known by the common name, short-nose unicornfish. It […]

Conspicuous Sea Cucumber

Conspicuous Sea Cucumber Live

Conspicuous Sea Cucumber – IUCN Conservation Status: Insufficient Data The conspicuous sea cucumber is a bottom feeder The conspicuous sea cucumber is a particularly weird looking sea cucumber. It can be found in abundance in the waters of Kaneohe Bay off the coast of Oahu, Hawai’i. Their local abundance is noted by a rarity throughout […]