Sea snakes are one of my favourites.

Although highly venomous, they tend to go on their activities unfazed by observers. Sometimes curious but gentle creatures. These images are from Scott and Seringapatam reef.

It was really neat to see my guests gain an appreciation for sea snakes rather than want to jump back in the boat when they see one. These reefs have about 17 different species, some only live out there, they don’t migrate large distances and they are vulnerable to changes in the environment, comparing them to the canaries in the colmine but for our marine environments. Researchers are still finding out so much interesting information about them even that they have these vibration sensors on their scales, they can dive to 70m, and they can absorb up to 25% of oxygen through their skin.

Big thanks to @seasnakeblanche who has helped me work out some of the identifications of sea snakes. 

The Rowley Shoals is a group of three atoll-like coral reefs south of the Timor Sea, about 260 km west of Broome on the northwestern Australian coast, centered on 17°20′S 119°20′E, on the edge of one of the widest continental shelves in the world.The reefs are among the most remote and pristine marine areas in the world.

Rowley Shoals Islands are home to an incredible 233 species of coral making it one of the best dive sites in Australia.

Even more amazing is the huge number of fish – 688 species in all.

Rowley Shoals! Some premo conditions, spring tides clarity and well just magic.

Kambarumba Village, Sepik River

Kambarumba village,is on the Sepik river in Papua New Guinea the whole of the Sepik people hold the crocodile in reverence, it’s part of their livelihood, spirit and culture, these are some images from the crocodile dance. 

Triton Shell.

Well can’t say I’ve ever seen a Triton shell eating a starfish until today!

Triton shells are one of the few natural predators of crown of thorn starfish, but I suppose there not fussy

Headdress of the Papuans

Papuans and the birds of paradise have long shared a unique relationship.

Using bird of paradise plumes in their dress and rituals, they were also once popular in Europe in the past as adornments for ladies millinery, they were also hunted to supply the demand.

Researchers have found that each headdress contains a feather from an average 8 parrots and that roughly 50,000 people in a particular province have had this type of headdress, meaning the provincial consumes hold the feathers of about 400,000 dead parrots/ birds.

Conservation organisations have spent time giving preservation kits out to help preserve the feathers so as not to need to replace them as regularly from hunted birds.

Talking to some of the locals they keep them safe in a suit-case away from rats, mice and insects, and sometimes raid bowerbird bowers to find new replacements, but are now also using alternatives such as rooster tail feathers and chicken feathers.

Such an amazing array of colour and culture. 

Anemone

Striking purple colours of the underside of an anemone as it closes up to eat, with a family of pink anemone fish mingling around.