Vibrant ocean creatures, from the tiniest sea snails to the grandest whales, are the heart of a healthy ocean and a healthy planet.
Tiny ocean plants create half the oxygen in every breath you take. The ocean’s fish feed a hungry world and sustain livelihoods. And diverse and spectacular ocean life is woven through centuries of myth, legend, literature and art, feeding the human spirit.
We’re monitoring indicator species in the Gulf of Mexico, from seabirds and vital fish populations to blue crabs scuttling along the sand. They have a lot to tell us about the Gulf’s health following the BP Deepwater Horizon oil disaster and decades of degradation so we can ensure the restoration of this national treasure. It is vital that we protect marine life for the future of the Gulf, and for the fishermen and communities who depend on it.
We’re working to protect Arctic life including the iconic polar bear as ever-increasing human activities like shipping and oil and gas development add to the stresses of warming water and melting ice in this pristine but fragile region.
The Pacific Coast hosts an incredible array of life, including a rainbow’s worth of colorful fish, soaring birds and charismatic marine mammals like whales and sea otters. We’re protecting essential habitat like rocky reefs and kelp forests to ensure that key species on the Pacific Coast can thrive in a healthy ocean home.
Updates coming: We are in the early days of launching this section of our website and will be adding additional species in the coming weeks and months. Thank you for your patience.
The ocean provides the air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink. Learn more about why the ocean matters to you.
Ocean Conservancy works to keep the ocean healthy, to keep us healthy.
We champion sound science that will lead to innovative, sustainable solutions.