After days of foul weather, the clouds have parted and the Hanse Explorer has arrived at Rapa Iti, the site of the latest National Geographic Pristine Seas expedition. The science team has returned from their first dive to survey the biodiversity hidden under the waves surrounding this remote southern island and we’ve had another busy, great and productive day...
For the month of April 2014, National Geographic Pristine Seas expedition leader Paul Rose will lead a group of key scientists and filmmakers, together with National Geographic Emerging Explorer Andrea Marshall and the Marine Megafauna Foundation, to explore, survey, and record what they expect to be some of the healthiest reefs in East Africa, home to ocean giants like manta rays, dugongs, and more. By Alan Friedlander After hiding from the...
By Alan Friedlander Our dives in the Chesterfield Reefs near New Caledonia have been full of surprises. Sometimes it is hard to tell who is more surprised, us or the fish. Every time we jump in the water, we are immediately surrounded by a swarm of curious reef sharks. Video: Crittercam POV – “Swim” with...
By Alan Friedlander Our dives in the Chesterfield Reefs near New Caledonia have been full of surprises. Sometimes it is hard to tell who is more surprised, us or the fish. Every time we jump in the water, we are immediately surrounded by a swarm of curious reef sharks. Video: Crittercam POV – “Swim” with...
National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Enric Sala is setting off on his first big expedition of the year: to explore the remote Desventuradas Islands, hundreds of miles off the coast of Chile. Today’s post comes from veteran team member Alan Friedlander. For 30 years Alan has been examining population regulation in marine fishes throughout the Hawaiian Archipelago,...
By Alan Friedlander, USGS & University of Hawaii For 30 years Alan Friedlander has been examining population regulation in marine fishes throughout the Hawaiian Archipelago, the Caribbean, and the wider Indo-Pacific region. After 4 days of 10-foot seas and 25-mph winds, we finally made it to the southern end of Henderson Island. The weather has...
Colleagues and marine biologists Alan Friedlander and Jim Beets of the University of Hawaii have brought satellite tags to track the wanderings of Salas y Gómez’s Galapagos sharks. Before they can tag them, they have to catch them, a days-long undertaking that requires teamwork, experience, patience, chum, quick reflexes–and a little luck. (Kids, don’t try...