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CCAMLR 2012 Closes with No Agreement on a Proposal to Protect the Southern Ocean

Posted on by Mera McGrew

By Mera McGrew
Over the past two weeks, government leaders had an opportunity to take some of the most significant action in ocean conservation history as they met for the 31st annual meeting of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). With a target date of 2012 set by CCAMLR member states to establish a network of Antarctic marine protected areas (MPAs), the world has been following the meeting expecting that one of the world’s largest marine sanctuaries could be established. However, to the disappointment of many across the globe, CCAMLR 2012 came to a close today without an agreement on any marine reserves or MPAs that would ensure long-term protection and health of the Southern Ocean.…

Vampires, Ghosts and Zombies Lurking Below the Waves

Posted on by Mera McGrew

By Mera McGrew
Did you know that there are real life zombies that secrete acid, vampires that don’t kill, and ghosts that burrow underground? Meet the zombies, vampires, and ghosts you never knew existed.
Ocean Zombies: Osedax
So-called “zombie worms” are an unusual group of creatures from the genus Osedax, which is Latin for “bone devourer.” Only discovered in 2002, these worms were found on the ocean floor feeding on the skeletons of dead whales and fish. The bone-devouring worms lack a mouth, gut or anus, but are still able to remove nutrients from the bones that they bore into.
Researchers discovered that the worms secrete acid through their skin, which allows them to essentially drill into bones. Symbiotic bacteria inside the worms are able to digest the fats and oils the creatures extract from bones, which provide these “zombie worms” with the nutrients that they need to survive and thrive in the ocean.…

A Sea Creature that Dresses Up for Halloween?

Posted on by Mera McGrew

By Mera McGrew
They don’t wear sheets to look like ghosts or don fake blood and fangs to resemble vampires, but one family of crabs seems to have mastered the art of disguise. Majoidea crabs, commonly known as decorator crabs, have the unusual habit of “decorating” their backs or carapaces. They use bits of algae, sponges, anemones, coral polyps or whatever else they find lying around the ocean floor.
Researchers report that Majoidea crabs “decorate” as a form of camouflage, which is an essential survival technique used by many creatures. These crabs are known to live in shallow water along with multiple other ocean creatures. Without being able swim or run quickly through the ocean, researchers explain that by camouflaging themselves, these crabs are able to blend into their environment and hide from other animals that might otherwise harm or eat them.…

Explore the Antarctic with Sylvia Earle [VIDEO]

Posted on by Eric Valinsky

Go on a journey with Mission Blue founder, Dr. Sylvia Earle, to the Southern Ocean as she narrates a short video [watch below]. Click play, to learn about the distinctive life that lives in the frigid Antarctic waters and see beautiful visuals of the unique ecosystems that exist in the most southern reaches of the world.…

Leonardo DiCaprio Gets 1 Million Signatures to Protect the Southern Ocean

Posted on by Eric Valinsky

Earlier this month, Leonardo DiCaprio and the organization Avaaz set out on a mission to gain 1 million signatures to back an initiative to protect the Southern Ocean. Today, they have reached 1 million signatures — representing 1 million voices calling for the protection of the Southern Ocean. The petition is now set to go before delegates of the Antarctic Commission currently meeting behind closed doors in Hobart, Tasmania.
The petition states the following: “As concerned citizens from around the world, we call on you to act decisively to secure the precious habitat of whales and other ocean species when you meet in Hobart, Australia. We call for an ambitious deal that establishes the world’s largest network of marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean, starting with the Ross Sea and East Antarctica.”…