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The Banc d'Arguin National Park site in Mauritania was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1989. Fringing the Atlantic coast, the park comprises sand dunes, coastal swamps, small islands, and shallow coastal waters. A wide variety of migrating birds sp
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<span lang="fr">Banc d'Arguin</span> National Park, Mauritania

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The East Rennell site in the Solomon Islands was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1998. The site contains one of the largest raised coral atolls in the world, with a marine area extending three nautical miles to sea. The strong climatic effects
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East Rennell, Solomon Islands

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Local yarn and craft shops were highly involved in creating the Smithsonian Community Reef—the local community’s accompaniment to the Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef exhibit.
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Crochet Coral Reef Community Window Display

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Venus fly-trap anemone in the Gulf of Mexico
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Venus Fly-Trap Anemone in the Gulf of Mexico

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North Atlantic right whales migrate seasonally along the eastern coast of the United States.
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North Atlantic Right Whale Territory

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Traditional Native festivities often included ceremonial objects like this bowl.
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Feasting Bowl

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An early scale model of North Atlantic right whale Phoenix that was used to develop a life size model for the Smithsonian shows the location of scars on her mouth from entanglements with fishing gear.
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Phoenix: Mouth Scarring

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Jellyfish produce mucus, especially when stressed, which can interact with oil and break it down. This moon jellyfish is sloughing off mucus that has mixed with droplets of oil.
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Moon Jellyfish With Oil & Mucus

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The red paper lantern jellyfish is the focus of the latest podcast One Species at a Time, by the&nbsp;Encyclopedia of Life.&nbsp;Vacuumed up from its habitat a mile down in the ocean, the red paper lantern jelly may not look like much. Mostly water, it’s
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Red Paper Lantern Jellyfish: One Species at a Time

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A view out of the tiny window of the Johnson-Sea-Link submersible.
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Johnson-Sea-Link Submersible

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Nick Pyenson points to a skull and skeleton of a fossil whale.
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An Ancient Whale Skeleton, Unexcavated

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