Odd-Looking Blue Creatures Are Washing Up in Large Groups on California’s Beaches Once Again
Strandings of these jellyfish-like animals, sometimes called “by-the-wind sailors,” usually mean spring is coming
Sea Lion Bites Surfer Amid One of the Worst Outbreaks of Domoic Acid Poisoning That California Wildlife Rescuers Can Remember
Sea lions, dolphins and birds are sick and dying because of a toxic algae bloom in Southern California—and animal care organizations are overwhelmed by the scale
Inside the Herculean Effort to Study and Save the World’s Smallest Sea Turtle
After years of steady gains, a decades-long conservation program dedicated to the Kemp’s ridley hits rough seas
Fossil Tour Guide Discovers Giant, Purple Dinosaur Footprint While Walking Along a U.K. Beach
The roughly three-foot-long, clay print speaks to the Isle of Wight’s rich paleontological history, but it will probably disappear within a couple of months due to exposure
Pod of 157 False Killer Whales Stranded on a Tasmania Beach Could Not Be Rescued, Wildlife Officials Say
In the area’s largest stranding event for the species since the 1970s, experts decided euthanasia was the most humane course of action
Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries
See 15 Stunning Photos of California That Showcase the Golden State’s Majestic Beauty
California offers lovely beaches, forests, deserts, mountains and more!
Surfer Spots an Emperor Penguin on a Beach in Australia, Thousands of Miles From Its Antarctic Home
It’s not clear how the juvenile male ended up so far north, but experts suggest he was motivated by his appetite
A Great White Shark Mysteriously Washed Ashore in Cape Cod, and Researchers Don’t Know Why
Authorities have not yet identified the cause of death for the 12.5-foot-long shark, which was named Koala
This Green-Flashing Firefly Could Become the First Ever Listed as Endangered in the U.S.
The Fish and Wildlife Service will consider granting federal protections to the Bethany Beach firefly, which is rapidly losing its coastal habitat to development and climate change
Four Places to Find Fossilized Shark Teeth in the United States
Sharks have been losing teeth for 400 million years. Here’s a guide to uncovering some of these plentiful fossils across the country
A Dolphin Keeps Biting People in Japan. Researchers Think It’s Just Lonely
A series of dolphin attacks in Wakasa Bay is believed to be the doing of a lone male bottlenose dolphin looking for friends or a mate—but finding only humans
See Hundreds of Sea Lions Take Over a Popular California Beach
The pinnipeds are resting on San Carlos Beach as part of their annual northward journey from the Channel Islands, prompting officials to close it down
Five-Foot-Long Ocean Sunfish Washes Ashore in Oregon, a ‘Relatively Small’ Size for Its Species
It’s the second sunfish to be found dead on the beach in a small region of northwestern Oregon this summer, following the discovery of an even rarer hoodwinker sunfish
Six Innovative Ways Humans Have Kept Cool Throughout History
From sleeping porches to coastal escapes, these tips and tricks helped people deal with extreme heat before the advent of air-conditioning
Nesting Shorebirds Are Mobbing Drones on New York City Beaches
The drones, equipped with inflatable life rafts, were intended to help improve public safety for humans this summer—but they’re also upsetting orange-beaked birds called American oystercatchers
An Ancient Beach Buried by Mount Vesuvius’ Eruption Is Now Open to the Public
In the seaside resort town of Herculaneum, the beach is the final resting place of more than 330 residents who tried to flee
See the Rare, 2,000-Pound Hoodwinker Sunfish That Washed Ashore in Oregon
The species was only described in 2017 after “hiding in plain sight” for nearly three centuries
England’s Mysterious ‘Seahenge’ Monument May Have Been Built to Prolong Summer
One researcher thinks the structure was used for ancient rituals during a period of bitter cold
Beachcombers Discover Rare, Deep-Sea Anglerfish Washed Up on Oregon Coast
Most humans will never see a Pacific footballfish, as the creatures live at depths of 2,000 to 3,300 feet below the ocean’s surface
How Scientists Are Protecting Plovers’ Beachfront Lifestyle
Camouflaged by the sand, these threatened shorebirds aim to hide from predators. Now conservationists are trying to give their breeding efforts a boost
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