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Scientists estimate that sharks were swimming the seas some 190 million years before dinosaurs roamed the earth, and they’re still here. That’s only one reason why we’re fascinated by the creatures that live in the oceans—one of the few areas of the earth where humans do not roam.
Whether they’re in cold Arctic environments or the warm tropics of the Caribbean, sea creatures surprise and amaze us. See the seas’ fish, underwater mammals and birds, reptiles, coral and more!
The reflection of a dugong, a cousin of the manatee, is captured as it prepares to breach the surface.
Mok Wai Hoe, Philippines, 2022
Found in coral reefs in the western Indian Ocean, fringed blenny normally live in cold, deep waters.
Sayaka Ichinoseki, Japan, 2020/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/2a/e1/2ae11fd6-62e1-439e-8493-9db11c64fc77/7-70acabb1-7638-475e-a886-c9d1b94ca2cb.jpeg)
Two huge sea turtles cross paths on the ocean floor as a batfish takes in the scene.
Franco Tulli, Indonesia, 2022/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/1a/75/1a75b435-992c-443f-9186-ffbe667865fc/alt1_6923fa8d-ce36-4af7-bb1a-7042fc03e8db.jpeg)
Both silver and golden sweepers cover this coral reef.
Mok Wai Hoe, Indonesia, 2020/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/c4/1f/c41f324f-4944-4f53-bff6-c0b83a40556b/15_043e4b3a-b58f-49c8-8d53-6e5d02129f6d.jpeg)
A blade of grass helps to camouflage a seahorse, keeping it safe from its many predators in the Atlantic Ocean.
Suzan Meldonian, Florida, 2020/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/ba/45/ba457f43-8488-4e17-bacb-cf6d00055e40/13_073c4501-f77c-45b2-b568-14f22c31db17.jpeg)
A shark swims out from a reef.
Bing Lin, Indonesia, 2023/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/94/6d/946d8203-7fb9-44d8-a77a-db639e09ccc6/11_009deff7-350b-4b75-8c18-f9e904b41dd2.jpeg)
Longfin bannerfish nibble at a jellyfish near Qaruh Island.
Suliman Alatiqi, Kuwait, 2022/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/97/fc/97fc7650-835a-4b6e-be49-dd56fdcbcc46/10-1f9d4f4c-2a18-4698-a546-82b06f688cdc.jpeg)
Colorful Coleman shrimp are identified by their distinct brown-red spot pattern.
Jeffrey de Guzman, Philippines, 2009/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/02/b2/02b2c3cb-8ab5-4357-8032-2547c1443e33/8-1c59134171d985973828654fd8844d09f28419c8.jpeg)
A school of sardines makes a fine buffet for a striped marlin in Baja Magdalena.
Franco Banfi, Mexico, 2020/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/39/8d/398df9e1-8f3f-4abe-90f5-dde4e0dbf94e/5_cbf58c30-7a03-4387-9ded-784ca69fdc1d.jpeg)
A young sea otter looks straight at the lens but won’t be distracted from its meal of giant kelp in Monterey.
Bob Western, California, 2017/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/8d/01/8d0152c1-83ff-43af-a12c-ee0e95664856/4-8c91e66b-19c2-4f7a-ad42-d41f787d7e2f.jpeg)
A humpback whale calf sails through the sapphire-blue waters of the Pacific near Tonga.
Sean Steininger, Tonga, 2019/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/36/b3/36b31040-6e9a-4a4e-bb61-975bf1fa3fba/1_e53181d1-bb00-4881-af5d-311e9dd03a63.jpg)
A walrus wades in the chilly waters near the Magdalenefjorden fjord.
Olav Thokle, Norway, 2022/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/7a/3d/7a3dfa93-0863-4289-b1f1-1e54d9f9063e/2-b943c8be-d6c1-42ca-ae63-5704e0a5a679.jpeg)
A playful gentoo penguin entertains onlookers at the Sea Life aquarium in Melbourne.
Peter Virag, Australia, 2018/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/80/6b/806b69e6-650a-4507-8397-849e3b73c6a5/3_36dd8b69-ae91-4af1-8ea3-3b8f2ef834ec.jpeg)
Olive ridley sea turtles spend their entire lives in the ocean and migrate thousands of miles between feeding and mating grounds in the course of a year.
Kallol Mukherjee, India, 2023/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/d5/16/d516269b-087a-4bb2-9120-606106cbd586/alt2-dbbd272d-c208-424f-982c-c1ef32ed8b25.jpeg)
