The Schmidt Ocean Institute has shared an amazing 4K showreel of footage captured during their ROV survey of the Ningaloo Canyons, Western Australia. The team carried out over 20 dives and some 180 hours of exploration, they recorded 30 new species, as well as “the longest animal ever recorded.”
The Schmidt Ocean Institute’s Costa Rica Deep Sea Connections project is underway. It is currently the deep sea areas and sea mounts in the coastal margin of Costa Rica around the Cocos Islands. Specifically, they are sharing amazing footage captured by their ROV of the creatures that are endemic at depths of around 3,500 m (11,500 ft.) of depth.
The Nautilus Expedition has set out and is currently investigating the effects of natural gas seeps that occur in the Gulf of Mexico. The expedition is using ROVs to gather samples and data from the water column. During one of the vehicle’s dives, the ROV encountered a sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) at 598m (1,962 ft). The animal was curious, circling the vehicle and its TMS a few times before moving off.
The Journal of Fish Biology has published a paper listing 5 observations of oarfish (Regalecus glesne) that were filmed or recorded by deep diving remotely operated vehicles. Previously, the species had only been observed either dead or dying at the surface.