National Geographic Pristine Seas

09/04/2026

Hey Samoa 🇼🇸…you’ve got a trumpet on your reef! 🤩

While conducting a remote camera deployment near the Palolo Deep Marine Reserve, our cameras spotted this trumpetfish, a unique mesopredator. These extra long fish play a vital role in the reef ecosystem by keeping populations of small bodied fish like damselfishes, gobies, and wrasses in check. In turn, trumpetfish are eaten by top predators that are capable of swallowing long prey, such as reef sharks, giant trevally, amd large groupers.

Baited remote underwater video systems (BRUVs) are a scientific surveying tool that uses unmanned high-definition cameras to spot and record species on a reef. In this   series, we leave the humans behind and watch what happens.

09/03/2026

09/02/2026

This week, we had the honor of hosting students and teachers from twelve local schools for Ship Day here in Apia, Samoa. 🇼🇸

On Ship Day, students step aboard the Argo to learn what it's like to be part of an ocean research expedition and see newly captured footage of the marine species observed in these waters.

For our team, it is a privilege to connect with the next generation of ocean stewards and learn from those who hold deep, enduring connections to Samoa's ocean.

Thank you to all of the students and educators who joined us!

Photos by Sara Sheehy/National Geographic Pristine Seas

09/01/2026

On August 31, the National Geographic Pristine Seas expedition hosted a "Ship Day" for local youth at Matautu, Apia Harbour. Welcoming twelve schools from across the island, the research team transformed their vessel into an interactive classroom designed to inspire Samoa’s next generation of oce....

08/31/2026

in 2023, we were diving at Bokak Atoll in the Marshall Islands. 😍

In collaboration with the Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority and the Government of the Marshall Islands, we conducted an expedition to the remote atolls of Bikar, Bokak, Bikini, and Rongerik.

The expedition was in support of Reimaanlok, the Marshallese national framework for the planning and establishment of community-based conservation areas.

Photos by Enric Sala/National Geographic Pristine Seas

08/27/2026

In the Desventuradas Islands, Chile, a Juan Fernández fur seal (Arctocephalus philippii) swims in the distance.

Once thought extinct due to overhunting, two juvenile Juan Fernández fur seals were spotted in 1970, beginning the species' slow recovery.

Today, marine protections remain vital to ensure these remarkable predators continue to thrive.

Photo by Manu San Félix/National Geographic Pristine Seas

08/27/2026

It's hard to spot scorpionfish on the reef, but when you do...wow. 🤩

True scorpionfish are masters of disguise, camouflaging perfectly in their environment as they patiently wait to ambush their prey.

Photo by Enric Sala/National Geographic Pristine Seas

08/27/2026

While we haven’t seen that many sharks here in Samoa 🇼🇸, we did catch a glimpse of this gray reef shark on a remote seabed camera in Savai’i. They cruised by a couple of times before moving on to other parts of the reef.

“Across our various research methods, we saw very few sharks in the shallower waters, a concerning sign for these vital top predators,” shares Tye Kindinger, expedition lead scientist. “This highlights one of the key reasons why the new Ae’a Savai’i Marine Protected Area is so important - it offers a much-needed sanctuary for these predators to recover and thrive.”

Baited remote underwater video systems (BRUVs) are a scientific surveying tool that uses unmanned high-definition cameras to spot and record species on a reef. In this   series, we leave the humans behind and watch what happens.

08/27/2026

"While surveying the shallow coral reefs inshore of the new Ae'a Savai'i Marine Protected Area, we noted that the deeper sections appeared healthier compared to the shallower areas, which showed more signs of degradation," shares expedition lead scientist Tye Kindinger.

"Across our various research methods, we saw very few sharks in the shallower waters, a concerning sign for these vital top predators. This highlights one of the key reasons why the new MPA is so important – it offers a much-needed sanctuary for these predators to recover and thrive."