Photo by @TimLaman | Here is a creature who really deserves its name - the “flamboyant cuttlefish”. I photographed this small cuttlefish (this one was only about an inch long) on a night dive off the coast of West Papua, Indonesia. Like with many boldly colored creatures like caterpillars or nudibranchs, it turns out that this cuttlefish is advertising its toxicity with its bright pattern. One of the things I like the most about exploring the marine realm are the otherworldly creatures that one can encounter. This, my first encounter with the flamboyant cuttlefish was especially exciting as I had been hoping to see and photograph one for some time. It was toward the end of a dive when I found it, and I spent as much time as I could photographing it, but eventually had to surface because I was running out of air.
During this #worldoceanweek, I’m especially reminded of the wonders our oceans hold, and how we need to do a much better job protecting them. I hope you find some inspiration from all the great posts on social media this week, and do what you can to be better stewards of our oceans.
#worldoceanday2022#worldoceanday#worldoceanweek#rajaampat#indonesia
I found this gorgeous scorpionfish on the house reef of Kri Eco resort in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. The reefs below the surface are home to more than 1500 species of fish and around 700 species of reef-building coral, and counting...!
It is of utmost importance to restore and rebuild damaged ecosystems but essential to halt the destruction! By preserving and respecting the remaining beauty on this planet we actually secure long term sustainable success for mankind! The only safe path ahead is to love and enjoy nature in a more thoughtful way anchored in science and "common sense. #rajaampat#indonesia#marine#kriecoresort#ecosystem#paradise#divers#photooftheday#protectbiodiversity#mattiasklum#conservation@natgeo@irisalexandrov@alexandrovklumofficial@thephotosociety
Soft coral (Dendronephthya sp.) cling to a jetty at a resort on Kri Island off Indonesia’s West Papua province. Corals
belong to the group of animals called Cnidarians that include anemones, jellyfish,
bluebottles, and hydroids. Most corals are classified as a soft coral or a hard coral.
Both types of corals are colonies of small polyps. In hard corals, the polyp secretes a small limestone cup that surrounds it and
protects the soft polyp tissue. Soft corals lack a limestone corallite structure, but
have very small internal skeletal parts. Both hard and soft corals are affected by coral bleaching as well as other human-induced changes. #protectouroceans#protectbiodiversity#rajaampat#indonesia@natgeo@alexandrovklumofficial@irisalexandrov
Coral reefs like here in Indonesia’s remarkable Raja Ampat is overwhelmingly rich in life forms. In fact, it’s one of the richest marine ecosystems in the entire World. The reefs below the surface are home to more than 1500 species of fish (including the funky species that I photographed in a cave) and around 700 species of reef-building coral, and counting...!
By preserving and respecting the remaining beauty on this planet we actually secure long term sustainable success for humankind! The only safe path ahead is to use (and love) nature in a much more responsible and thoughtful way, anchored in science and "common sense"! #goldeneye#rajaampat#indonesia#marine#ecosystem#paradise#divers#protectbiodiversity#mattiasklum#conservation@natgeo@irisalexandrov@alexandrovklumofficial@thephotosociety@mattiasklumofficial