Underwater

On the left, a dead branching coral rests on a sandy ocean floor beside a rock wall; on the right, an aerial view shows sargassum seaweed washing onto a tropical.

Americas Oceans Are Growing More Acidic and Federal Monitoring Cannot Keep Up

Since the Industrial Revolution, ocean acidity has increased by roughly 26 percent — and scientists say we have already crossed one of Earth's defined stability thresholds. Shellfish hatcheries are losing...

Americas Oceans Are Growing More Acidic and Federal Monitoring Cannot Keep Up

Since the Industrial Revolution, ocean acidity has increased by roughly 26 percent — and scientists say we have already crossed one of Earth's defined stability thresholds. Shellfish hatcheries are losing...

A massive tan sea lion named Chonkers sits upright on a wooden dock among a colony of resting sea lions.

A 2,000-Pound Sea Lion Named Chonkers Showed Up at San Francisco's Pier 39 and Broke the Internet

A one-ton Steller sea lion named Chonkers arrived at San Francisco's Pier 39 and refused to leave — drawing crowds, bending docks, and capturing hearts. His extended stay is rare...

A 2,000-Pound Sea Lion Named Chonkers Showed Up at San Francisco's Pier 39 and Broke the Internet

A one-ton Steller sea lion named Chonkers arrived at San Francisco's Pier 39 and refused to leave — drawing crowds, bending docks, and capturing hearts. His extended stay is rare...

Split image showing kelp forest with fish and a sea lion swimming near the surface.

The Ocean's Most Vital Forests Are Disappearing Before Our Eyes

Kelp forests once stretched for thousands of miles along America's Pacific coast, sheltering fish, sea otters, whales, and hundreds of other species. Between 2008 and 2019, Northern California lost more...

The Ocean's Most Vital Forests Are Disappearing Before Our Eyes

Kelp forests once stretched for thousands of miles along America's Pacific coast, sheltering fish, sea otters, whales, and hundreds of other species. Between 2008 and 2019, Northern California lost more...

On the left, two beluga whales surface side by side in bright turquoise water; on the right, a single beluga whale glides gracefully underwater in deep blue-lit water.

Four Female Beluga Whales Rescued From Canada's Shuttered Marineland Find a New Home at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium

Four beluga whales named Acadia, Osiris, Sierra, and Lillooet arrived at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium in the pre-dawn hours of July 22, completing the first leg of a rescue that years...

Four Female Beluga Whales Rescued From Canada's Shuttered Marineland Find a New Home at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium

Four beluga whales named Acadia, Osiris, Sierra, and Lillooet arrived at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium in the pre-dawn hours of July 22, completing the first leg of a rescue that years...

Split image: close-up of a manatee eating greens underwater on the left, and multiple manatees clustered near the surface on the right.

Manatees Face a Deadly Winter as Power Plants Shut Down Across Florida

Every winter, thousands of Florida manatees crowd around power plant discharge channels to stay warm enough to survive. Those plants are shutting down. The natural springs manatees depended on for...

Manatees Face a Deadly Winter as Power Plants Shut Down Across Florida

Every winter, thousands of Florida manatees crowd around power plant discharge channels to stay warm enough to survive. Those plants are shutting down. The natural springs manatees depended on for...

Split image of a whale tail above water and a humpback whale swimming underwater.

Decades After Whaling Wiped Them Out, One Whale Population Is Staging an Extraordinary Return

Humpback whales returning off Rio showcase conservation success and inspire responsible whale watching between June and November.

Decades After Whaling Wiped Them Out, One Whale Population Is Staging an Extraordinary Return

Humpback whales returning off Rio showcase conservation success and inspire responsible whale watching between June and November.