Understanding Our Deep Ocean Habitats

Over 80 percent of our ocean remains unexplored and unmapped, leaving us with an incredible opportunity to explore and study ecosystems that remain a mystery. When scientists at the Cape Eleuthera Institute partnered with the Alucia, a state-of-the-art research vessel, they had no idea how impressed and inspired they would be by what they found. Plunging 2,624 feet into the Exuma Sound in two manned submersibles, the team observed pancake batfish, swimming sea cucumbers, white-spotted catsharks, a dazzling array of jellyfish, and more. The hope is that by shining a light on the ecological value of The Bahamas’ deep ocean habitats, these discoveries will further the creation of new marine protected areas that include the deep sea as well as shallow water marine environments.