wildlife
Adventures in the wild do not end at the water’s edge. This archive broadens the scope, documenting the animal kingdom both above and below the surface. While the logbook is heavily saturated with marine life, the journey to remote dive destinations often provides opportunities to witness terrestrial giants during the surface interval. Here, you will find a collection of species profiles and behavioral observations that span from the silent drift of a shark to the heavy tread of an elephant, united by a shared respect for the natural world.
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Pineapple Sea Cucumber
I don’t know why Sea Cucumbers fascinate me. But they seem to stop me when I see them underwater. Thelenota ananas, also known as pineapple sea cucumber, oloturia ananas, tripang, prickly skin cucumber, pointed teat sea cucumber, armoured sea cucumber, giant sea cucumber, sand fish or prickly redfish is a species of sea cucumber. I…
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Silent Saturday: Deep Water Sea Fan
A lovely deep water sea fan along a coral reef in Fiji. Additional underwater images from scuba diving around Fiji can be found here.
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Wildlife Wednesday: Purple Rhinopias
Rhinopias is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes. They are mostly found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The Rhinopias in the photo above was spotted off the coast of Anilao in the Philippines. More underwater images from the Anilao can be found here.
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Fiji Clownfish
Anemonefish or Clownfish are fishes from the subfamily Amphiprioninae in the family Pomacentridae. Anemonefish typically live at the bottom of shallow seas in sheltered reefs or in shallow lagoons. Anemonefish are endemic to the warmer waters of the Indian Ocean, including the Red Sea, and Pacific Ocean, the Great Barrier Reef, Southeast Asia, Japan, and…
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Purple Nudibranch
Also known as the Apolegma Nudibranch (Hypselodoris apolegma) and Apolegma Sea Slug. This nudibranch was spotted off the coast of Puerto Galera in the Philippines. Slowing moving along a beautiful coral reef. More images from dives in the Philippines can be found here.
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Critter Alert: Reticulated Chromodoris
Reticulated chromodoris is a colorful nudibranch that live mostly in the waters of the indo-pacific. This sea slug is also referred to as Goniobranchus reticulatus, part dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae. The nudibranch in the picture below was spotted off the coast of Puerto Galera in the Philippines.
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Juvenile Black Ribbon Eel – Puerto Galera
The Ribbon Eel belongs to the Moray Eel family. Juvenile Ribbon Eels are usually jet black with a yellow dorsal fin. When the eel become an adult, its color will change. Male Ribbon eels develop into a blue color with a yellow dorsal fin and females will develop into a yellow color with black dorsal…
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Wildlife Wednesday: Fire Urchins
The fire urchin have venomous tips on their many spines. Most stings will not lead to death in humans but the sting is quite powerful. This image was captured off the coast of Anilao. Anilao is about 2-3 hours southwest of Manila in the Philippines.
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So Close But So Far Away – Spotted Eagle Ray
A delightful Spotted Eagle Ray swimming along the coast of Viti Levu. Viti Levu is the largest island in the Republic of Fiji. More images from Fiji can be found here.
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Shark Above Us – Day 3
It is day three at Tiger Shark Zoo and I am becoming more comfortable observing one of the most aggressive sharks in the ocean. After the dive briefing, we entered the water and I quickly descended to my target position. Weather and diving conditions were fantastic today in the Maldives – the sun was shinning,…