Mythology of the Ocean Giant Sea Animals Transparent Aquatic Life Protect our Seas Created by: Deborah Lawrence

Mermaid Mythology Enchant sailors with singing and music, distracting them from their work often causing fatal accidents Enchant sailors with singing and music, distracting them from their work often causing fatal accidents Mermaids: Various cultures have similar figures Various cultures have similar figures Feared by sailors because they are considered a sign of bad luck Feared by sailors because they are considered a sign of bad luck

Manatee and Dugongs often mistaken for mermaids prior to mid 19 th century

Japanese fishermen crafted mermaids for sideshow carnivals by stitching the upper bodies of monkeys onto the bodies of fish 18 th and 19 th c. Edo Japan

Giant Squid Mythology  Called Kraken  Thought to attack ships and eat sailors whole  Part Octopus, Crab, Squid, and Cuttlefish

Number of sightings (especially in 18 th & 19 th centuries) What makes sea serpent sightings different from other mysterious creatures? Mythology of Sea Serpents Sightings have been made by multiple people at once for sustained periods of time

Modern Giants of the Sea Squid Sharks Whales Jellyfish

Sharks Sense a drop of blood from 2.5 miles away Can go up to at least 6 weeks without feeding

The Notorious Great White The largest meat-eating shark, growing up to 21 feet long

Great White Sharks: Responsible for few human fatalities and usually do not target humans as prey Sharks attack surfers because their silhouettes look like seals Man-Eaters? Many attacks occur in waters with low visibility, or when the shark's senses are impaired

the Whale Shark Grows up to 50 ft long Eats plankton, crustaceans and small fish The Largest Shark:

Whales The loudest animals in the world – their underwater sounds can travel great distances Whales are mammals, not fish Click on whale for video

Blue Whales Often 100 ft in length, blue whales are the largest animals that have ever lived on earth – they are even larger than dinosaurs!

Giant Squids: The world’s largest invertebrates… suspected to reach up to 60 ft in length!  Giant Squid captured for the 1 st time in 2006  24-ft long  Died from injuries sustained during the capture

Giant Jellyfish Bodies are made up of 95% water, they have no bones or cartilage, no heart or blood, and no brain

Transparent Marine Life Transparency is an important method of camouflage Can also be a means of predatory animals tricking others

Transparent Salpa Aspera Can multiply into swarms under the right conditions The brown spot is the salp's stomach

Transparent Siphonophores Are extremely fragile and can break apart in nets or by mere illumination

Transparent Ctenophore Even if half of the creature is destroyed, often the remaining half can rebuild itself Even if half of the creature is destroyed, often the remaining half can rebuild itself Capableof regeneration Capable of regeneration

Habitat destruction is caused by:  Destructive fishing activity  Coastal real estate development  Pollution  Dredging ship channels Save my home Protect Our Seas

5 Simple ways to Preserve the Ocean: 1. Stop eating seafood. … OR … Learn how to practice sustainability – When dining or shopping for fish carry a sustainable seafood wallet guide available from Vote. Vote for candidates who support marine conservation 3. Do not pollute. Keep beaches clean and use environmentally friendly cleaning agents 4. Shop smartly. Don’t purchase items that exploit marine resources unnecessarily 5. Teach children to respect nature and the environment For more information visit: Protect Our Seas