Looking something like a burst of celebratory confetti, corals like this one spawn within the sanctuary each year, releasing hundreds of gametes into the water. The warm, sunlit waters of this Gulf of Mexico sanctuary make it a comfy home for hard corals like these, as well as hundreds of other marine species. Plus, the sanctuary is considering expanding!
(Photo: G.P. Schmahl/NOAA)
Shipwrecks are protected by national marine sanctuaries for a number of reasons: they serve as living museums to teach visitors about the past; they tell the stories of their times, especially those of the people who lived, sailed, and died on them; and often, they are memorials to those who were lost on them. In many cases, too, they harbor new life, serving as artificial reefs that attract invertebrates, fish, and other marine animals. U-85, pictured here, is one such wreck, and could be protected by an expanded Monitor National Marine Sanctuary.
(Photo: Steve Sellers/NOAA)
Once nestled into a location on the reef, giant clams remain stationary throughout life, and play a major role in reef community structure. Like corals, giant clams have developed symbiotic relationships with algae called zooxanthellae. In return for shelter, zooxanthellae provide giant clams with nutrients they’ve photosynthesized!
(Photo: NOAA)
This is one bird that volunteers sometimes spot during the Stellwagen Bank Christmas Bird Count! Each year, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary teams up with the Audubon Society to survey a 15-mile-diameter area of the sanctuary. What do you think they’ll spot this year?
(Photo: Peter Flood)
