Sanctuaries (NOAA)
@sanctuaries
Followers
82K
Following
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Media
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Statuses
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The National Marine Sanctuary System is a network of special places preserving & protecting America's ocean and Great Lakes. RTs/follows are not endorsements.
United States
Joined August 2008
#JUSTIN: The winners of the 2024 Get Into Your Sanctuary Photo Contest!. Sanctuary Life Winners-.1st: Gabriel Jensen in @FloridaKeysNMS .2nd: Robert Lee in @GFCBSanctuaries .3rd: Kaelyn DeYoung in @MBNMS
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WHALE FALL WHALE FALL. @EVNautilus is exploring a whale fall in @MBNMS RIGHT NOW! Tune in: Learn more about the expedition:
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Announcement: Citizen science isn't just for humans anymore. This octopus was just hanging out on @EVNautilus's ROV Hercules in @MBNMS!. Watch live: Learn more: #SanctuariesLive
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In 2005, scientists found an intact nautilus shell in Fagatele Bay, and nautiluses have been found and filmed in nearby Taema Bank. Researchers are keeping an eye out for live nautiluses inside the #AmericanSamoa sanctuary! . #NautilusNight. Learn more:
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These gorgeous octopuses are Muusoctopus genus. We're not sure about the whale species yet but it may be a gray whale – stand by! @EVNautilus is on the case. #SanctuariesLive
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Holy octopuses, Batman! @EVNautilus came across more than a THOUSAND brooding octopuses when diving in @MBNMS!
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🚨 ATTENTION. We are interrupting your scroll because. well, look at this young Risso's dolphin in @MBNMS! If you see something cuter today, let us know because we won't believe it unless we see it. 📸: Douglas Croft
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Spa Day!. The green sea turtle has a unique way of getting clean after a long ocean trek. They can visit special areas on the reef called a cleaning station where creatures clean parasites off the turtle's shell (and eat them). Talk about pampering!. 📸Matt McIntosh/NOAA
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We ARE a science agency, but sometimes you've just got to #UnscienceAnAnimal. Introducing: the not-so-accurate yet totally real anatomy of a humpback whale. (Photo: J. Moore/NOAA, under MMHSRP Permit 20311)
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A mola mola for your Monday Monday!. More commonly known as the ocean sunfish, these odd creatures get their name from their habit of laying their bodies on the surface of the water to warm themselves by the sun. #EarthIsBlue
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What better way to celebrate #SquidCuttlefishDay than with a stubby squid?. Closely related to cuttlefish, these googly-eyed cephalopods coat themselves in a mucus jacket and burrow into the sediment leaving just those big eyes peeking above the surface. #EarthIsBlue #OCTOber
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We don't know about you, but this school of yellow tangs sure brighten our day up! You can find these fish flashing around the reef in @HIHumpbackwhale!. #EarthIsBlue
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Keep your friends close and your mother closer 🐋. Did you know humpback whale calves stay near their mothers for up to one year before weaning? Mothers are protective of their calves, swimming closely and often touching them with their flippers. Happy Mother's Day!
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If he’s green and so shy, with two jaws and two eyes, that’s a moray! 🎶 . Did you know that the green moray eel is actually brown? They have a yellow mucus covering their bodies, which blends together to make that vibrant green we all know and love! . 📸G.P. Schmahl/NOAA
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To all the mothers out there who keep us afloat, #HappyMothersDay!. This sea otter is cuddling up with it's pup in @MBNMS as a reminder that you otter call your mom!. #EarthIsBlue.📸: Douglas Croft
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Dr. Isabella Kauakea Aiona Abbott has been called “the First Lady of Limu.” She was the first Native Hawaiian to earn a doctorate in science, the first female biology professor at Stanford University, and an international authority on marine algae, or limu in Hawaiian!. #APAHM
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Sea Slug Sunday! . Let this clown nudibranch put a pep in your step this week! Found amongst the algae in @CordellBank this goofy creature is known for its acrobatic ability to crawl along the underside of the surface of tidepools! . 📸Greg McFall/NOAA
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The Venus flytrap anemone may look like its terrestrial counterpart – but this deep-sea dweller is actually an animal, not a plant! . Found in @FGBNMS, these anemones eat particles floating in the water. When matter lands on the tentacles, the anemone closes to digest the food!
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OKAY, EVERYBODY, LISTEN UP. Right now, humpback whales are feeding close to shore in @MBNMS. While it can be tempting to get close to these amazing animals, when you approach them you encroach on the space they need to catch anchovies and other fish.
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🎄Don't look for presents under 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 tree. These “trees” are actually worms and the colorful “pine needles” are their gills. We like to think that the fishmas tree worm (𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘶𝘴 𝘨𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘶𝘴) is just as excited about today as we are!. 📸Steve Miller
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Green sea turtle: *sees Hawaiian monk seal alone in @HawaiiReef*.Green sea turtle: “You shell be my valentine.”.Happy Valentine's Day from your National Marine Sanctuary System!
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Tiger sharks are one of many shark (manō) species in Hawai‘i and are important members of the coastal ecosystem. In Native Hawaiian culture, manō are found in many stories and songs, where they appear as guardians, villains, navigators, and healers. #APAHM
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“I hope my photographs will inspire others to appreciate our wonderful ecosystem, and become more involved in cherishing and preserving its breathtaking views!” -Jack Louden (2022 Sanctuary Life 2nd Place Winner). Check out the rest of this year's winners:
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Are you scrolling by without wishing this stubby squid a happy #SquidAndCuttlefishDay? . These cephalopods spend their lives coating themselves in a mucus jacket and burrowing into the sediment. They remain buried until prey items (or a curious ROV) pass by!. #EarthIsBlue
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Happy #WorldWhaleDay 🐋 from the whales of your National Marine Sanctuary System! How many different species of whale do you know?. #EarthIsBlue.📸: Douglas Croft
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#BREAKINGNEWS: Join us in welcoming Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary to the National Marine Sanctuary System as the third largest national marine sanctuary!.
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This lettuce sea slug wants to be sure you have some greens on your plate tomorrow!. These mollusks eat green algae but not all of it is digested. Algae can live in their fleshy appendages giving them photosynthetic energy and their green color. #EarthIsBlue.📸: M. Schilling
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Leatherback turtles like this one spend their time slurping up jellyfish snacks. Plastic bags can look an awful lot like jellyfish, though, so it's critical that we keep our ocean plastic-free and leatherback-friendly! #SeaTurtleWeek #EarthIsBlue
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Meet Kaiwi and her pup Lolii, two Hawaiian monk seals from @Hihumpbackwhale . These animals can be found almost nowhere else in the world, which is why we work so hard to protect them. This brilliant photo was a submission for the 2021 Earth Is Blue contest! . 📸Joyce Hsieh
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Crush, is that you? 🐢 Today is #WorldTurtleDay, which shell-ebrates turtles around the world. Our National Marine Sanctuary System is home to many species of turtles, including this green sea turtle, or honu, in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. #EarthIsBlue
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Whale watchers in @MBNMS got a surprise visit from a gray newborn orca calf. While most orcas are black and white, little is known about the uncommon gray pigment of this youngster. The science is clear on one thing – this newborn is 100% adorable! #EarthIsBlue
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You've heard of an octopus's garden – but have you ever seen one?. #OctopusFriday @MBNMS @EVNautilus
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Sundays are for snoozing! . Take a cue from these cuddle buddies and take it easy today! These unlikely pals were spotted in @HawaiiReef soaking up the sun. What's your favorite snooze location?. 📸Mark Sullivan/NOAA
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All hail the mighty krill! Despite their tiny size, these shrimp-like crustaceans are powerhouses for ocean ecosystems, serving as a food source for whales, seabirds, fishes, and other marine life. #EarthIsBlue
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What lives in the deep waters of Nat'l Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa? Find out in our video! @oceanexplorer
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🤔 Wait a minute--something looks different about these #dolphins. Can you spot what it is?. Northern right whale dolphins are one of the only species of dolphin in the North Pacific Ocean without a dorsal fin! @CordellBank
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Congratulations to Justin Wallace for receiving an honorable mention in the Sanctuary Life category for his awesome macro shot of a blenny fish in @FGBNMS!. Check out the rest of this year’s winners by visiting
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How many sea lions does it take from @NOAA_CINMS to brighten your day? Asking for this group of curious pinnipeds serving as the welcoming committee. #EarthIsBlue.📸: Patrick Smith
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Do you know the difference between real #sharks and Hollywood's version of them? If you're not sure, join us tomorrow, May 21, at 6pm ET for a webinar with marine photographer Doug Perrine:
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Look out! This tiger shark (niuhi in Hawaiian) is about to snag a Laysan albatross snack in @HawaiiReef. Tiger sharks are incredibly important animals in ocean environments, helping keep ecosystems in balance. This #SharkWeek, thank a shark!.#EarthIsBlue
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🐋 Don’t breach #WildlifeViewingGuidelines! . We are celebrating the red, white, and blue with #CleanBeachesWeek. By leaving no trace behind when we enjoy our shores, we’re also helping protect marine life down the line!. #WildSanctuaries #RecreateResponsibly.📸: Douglas Croft
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Some days you just have to lie down, wrap yourself in kelp, and nap the day away. It's all part of that pawsitive self care. #EarthIsBlue
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BIG NEWS: Today, along with the state of Maryland and Charles County, we're announcing the designation of a new national marine sanctuary:
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A fairy is among us! A fairy tern chick, that is. Known as manu-o-kū in Hawaiian, fairy terns are native to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, including @HawaiiReef. #EarthIsBlue
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Happy #WorldTurtleDay!. Check out this endangered Hawksbill sea turtle found in @FloridaKeysNMS. Hawksbills get their name from their beak-like mouth, which resembles a hawks and is perfect for finding food sources in hard-to-reach places!. #EarthIsBlue.📸: Alexander Nuefeld
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These unique fish are known as mola mola and they're found in @CordellBank. Their vertical fins are sometimes mistaken for shark fins, but despite their size, they are gentle ocean creatures preferring jellyfish snacks and an afternoon basking in the sun. #EarthIsBlue
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Happy anniversary to @FloridaKeysNMS! This sanctuary protects the world's third-largest barrier reef, extensive seagrass beds, mangrove-fringed islands, and more than 6,000 species of marine life. #EarthIsBlue #HappyBirthday
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Happy 20th anniversary to the National Marine Protected Areas Center!
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🚨 The United States, United Kingdom, Chile, Costa Rica, and France announce an International Partnership on MPAs, Biodiversity, and Climate Change to advance the role of MPAs as a nature-based solution in the fight against climate change! #MPABioclimate.
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🚨 BIG NEWS: We invite you to participate in the process of possibly designating a new national marine sanctuary on the central coast of California, nominated by the Northern Chumash Tribal Council! . Learn how you can weigh in through January 10:
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We're back! NOAA staff are back to work today – thank you for your patience. You can visit us at Photo: NOAA/taken under NOAA Fisheries Permit #14245. Always give animals plenty of space at sea – let them come to you!
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The National Marine Sanctuary System is comprised of 15 @sanctuaries and two marine national monuments that conserve more than 620,000 sq mi of ocean and Great Lakes waters. Celebrate #NationalMarineSanctuaryDay by sharing how you feel connected to the ocean and Great Lakes 🌊
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Check out this bluntnose sixgill shark that researchers on the @EVNautilus spotted in @NOAA_CINMS! #SharkWeek #EarthIsBlue
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Raise your fin if you love whales! 🐋. Humpback whales are protected by national marine sanctuaries from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Humpback whales like this one can be found in protected waters of @hihumpbackwhale and @NOAASBNMS.
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"Whale. we're gonna need a bigger boat." These scientists in @NOAASBNMS got a treat (or maybe a fright) when a humpback whale breached surprisingly close to them. (Photo taken under @NOAAFisheries Permit 14245)
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The most critically endangered of the great whales is the #NorthAtlanticRightWhale. They spend time in @NOAASBNMS & laws prohibit close approaches so whale watch vessels avoid them; if boating, please stay at least 500 yds away. Visit: 📸: Peter Flood
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🦀 Thanks to the work of researchers and volunteers in California to remove these green crabs, biodiversity in Seadrift Lagoon has rebounded and green crab numbers in Bolinas Lagoon remain low. #NISAW
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It's #SpookySeason! Check out this whale fall found last year in @MBNMS. When a whale dies at sea, its body sinks to the seafloor and begins to decompose where scavengers consume the whale. If that doesn't put you in a spooky mood, we don't know what will!. #EarthIsBlue
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Whale-come back to #WhaleWeek! Blue whales such such as these beauties in @NOAA_CINMS are the largest animals to ever live on our planet. They are also one of the loudest. Scientists estimate that blue whales can hear each other from up to 1,000 miles away! #EarthIsBlue
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Is it the ocean or outer space? This cosmic jellyfish combines the best of both worlds!. Researchers on the NOAA Okeanos Explorer found this spectacular jelly with an ROV while exploring the Utu Seamount in National Marine Sanctuary of #AmericanSamoa. #EarthIsBlue
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It's #NationalSmileDay AND #WorldParrotDay, and we've got you covered with this grinning spectacled parrotfish! Known as uhu uliuli in Hawaiian, these are just one of many species of parrotfish that can be found in @HawaiiReef.
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Release the kraken? Not quite. This octopus is much smaller than the mythical sea monster of old, but they both come from the deep sea. #OctopusFriday #EarthIsBlue.@oceanexplorer
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BREAKING NEWS: comment period on review of sanctuaries & monuments extended to Monday, August 14:
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On this #IntForestDay, let’s recognize the seaweed "trees" beneath the seas! Dense kelp forests, like the ones found in @NOAA_CINMS are some of the most biodiverse areas of the ocean.
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🚨 Your sanctuary system is growing! Preserved for centuries by the cold, fresh water of Lake Michigan, 36 historically significant shipwrecks are now protected within the newly designated #WisconsinShipwreckCoast National Marine Sanctuary! . Full story:
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Whale, whale, whale, what do we have here? Humpback whales sure know how to make a splash! 🐋 #EarthIsBlue
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Hey @USFWS! This orange sea toad in @HawaiiReef is unBOOlievably ready for Halloween – are you? How about a #SpookWar?
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What's #SeaTurtleWeek without a wee one? 90% of Hawaiian green turtles travel to French Frigate Shoals in @HawaiiReef to nest.
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33 years ago today, a tiny sanctuary was designated to protect Fagatele Bay in American Samoa. Today, National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa is the largest national marine sanctuary! Happy birthday to this ocean treasure. #EarthIsBlue
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Happy #WorldWildlifeDay! Take some time today to appreciate all the amazing wildlife supported by our incredible ocean and Great Lakes. #EarthIsBlue
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How do you disentangle a whale? Responders at @Hihumpbackwhale have it down to a science: #WhaleWednesday
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NEW SPECIES ALERT 🚨 . A newly discovered sponge, Megaciella sanctuarium, has been named in honor of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary!
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🐋 Humpback whales are navigating an ocean of change:
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🚨Attention! @NOAA is initiating the process to designate marine portions of Papahānaumokuākea as a national marine sanctuary under the National Marine Sanctuaries Act. Learn more:
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Today is the #InternationalDayOfForests! Did you know that there are forests beneath the waves, too? Kelp forests like those found in @MBNMS provide shelter and food for a wide array of ocean life -- like sea otters! #EarthIsBlue
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This Risso's dolphin is leaping out of the water to wish you a happy #NationalWildlifeDay!.What's your favorite dolphin species?
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On #WorldEnvironmentDay, don't forget the world beneath the waves! @GraysReefNMS provides habitat for loggerheads & others. #EarthIsBlue
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Who are the people of your @sanctuaries, and why do we work to protect these places? Find out in our video. #EarthIsBlue
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#DYK whale sharks are actually whales? #AprilFools! These gentle behemoths are actually the largest fish in the ocean!. Give us your best ocean joke below!. #EarthIsBlue.📸: Sam Farkas
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Hey #students! Interested in learning more about marine conservation? Check out our current #internship listings:
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100,000 pounds -- that's how much garbage has been removed from @HawaiiReef over the last 6 years! #EarthIsBlue
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What will @oceanexplorer scientists find in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico? Over the next few weeks, tune in to find out:
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🌊What does it mean to be a woman in an ocean science career? #WomeninSTEM #WomeninScience #WomensHistoryMonth. Today let's hear from Stephanie Gandulla, resource protection coordinator at @ThunderBayNMS:
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Welcome to #WhaleWeek! This week we'll be bringing you photos & info about sanctuary whales. @NOAASBNMS
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As we raise awareness for sharks and their importance in the ecosystem, read Jaida’s interview to learn more about how she became passionate in shark science and serves as an active communicator in the field. Stay tuned tomorrow for #SharkAwarenessDay! 🦈.
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Coral reefs are one of the most important ecosystems on our planet that protect and foster biodiversity. Learn about coral reef ecosystems and our efforts within the sanctuary system to preserve them and limit the impacts they face. #CoralsWeek.
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Yellowheaded jawfish come out of their burrows and gracefully “dance” around waiting for food. When threatened, they quickly retreat to their burrows and will poke their head out slowly to see if the coast is clear 👀
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Now those are some eyebrows! Congrats to the Sanctuary Life 1st Place winner, Jon Anderson! This beautiful yellowfin fringehead lives amongst the reefs in @MBNMS. #EarthIsBlue #ILoveMySanctuary #RecreateResponsibly
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