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Coral Hideaway

December 23, 2015

WHOI geologist Konrad Hughen took this photo during a 2015 expedition to conduct coral reef surveys and obtain coral core samples on several reefs within the Chagos Archipelago, a small island chain in the middle of the Indian Ocean. The reefs are part of the Chagos Marine Reserve, the largest no-take marine protected area on Earth, established in 2010. The lack of fishing pressure has increased the size, diversity, and abundance of marine life on the reefs, including this sea turtle. Meanwhile, to find out more about sea turtles’ lifestyles, WHOI biologist Kara Dodge teamed with WHOI engineer Amy Kukulya to create TurtleCam.(Photo by Konrad Hughen, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)