The ocean covers over 70% of the earth and yet we know so little about this beautiful world. So many things are undiscovered and unexplained, so many mysteries yet to be explored!
That’s why we created a list with interesting facts about the ocean’s inhabitants that we know you were itching to know.
DID YOU KNOW…
… That seahorses are the slowest fish on the planet? They’re really poor swimmers and rely on only their dorsal fin. The slowest species is the dwarf seahorse, which can only travel 5 feet in an hour. They can however hold on to weeds and other grass with their prehensile tale, this keeps them from being washed away by currents and waves.
… That the Mola Mola is the heaviest bony fish on the planet? It can weigh up to 1.000 kilograms! The huge fish may reach seizes of 3 by 4 meters, and lives mostly on a diet of jellyfish. It is also often referred to as ‘sunfish’, because it likes to come to the surface of the ocean to sunbathe. They sometimes leap out of the water as well, as high as 3 meters! It is believed that they do this to get rid of the ‘parasites’ from their skin.
… That starfish don’t have a brain, nor blood? They do have eyes at the end of their ‘legs’, and can turn their stomach inside out. They also have the ability to grow a new ‘leg’ once one has fallen off, and sometimes it can even grow an entire new body out of that one leg! Oh, and they’re called starfish, but aren’t really fish either. It’s an echinoderm and related to sand dollars.
… That the manta ray has the largest brain to body ratio compared to all the other rays and sharks in the world? Yes, Manta Rays are very close relatives of the shark. It is one of the largest fish as well, only surpassed by sharks and whales, however they are harmless and actually quite gentle creatures. Every other year a Manta Ray gives birth to a single pup, who arrive rolled up like a burrito. Once grown up, they can reach lengths of over 7 meters from wingtip to wingtip.
… That sea turtles have lived on Earth for more than 220 million years? They lived in the same age as the dinosaurs, but managed to survive weather changes. They live most of their lives in the ocean, although females will lay their nests on the beach. The temperature of the eggs determines the gender of the baby turtles. If the temperature is low then it will more likely become a male turtle, it will most likely become a female turtle when temperatures are higher. When the female is ready to nest, it will return to the same beach where she was born. Even after 30 years of absence she will find her way back to the right beach.
Do you know any weird, funny or interesting facts about a sea creature or perhaps about the ocean they live in? Let us know in the comments!
