Protect Critical Marine Life
This Earth Month, we are challenging you to support the work of National Geographic Society mission programs and Explorers as we protect marine life and safeguard our planet. Become a donor today and be a champion for our planet Earth!
When you make a gift between now and April 30, it will be matched 1:1 through our EARTH MONTH MATCH CHALLENGE, provided by generous anonymous Society donors.
Revealing and protecting underwater worlds.
Our Ocean work aims to explore, understand, and conserve marine and coastal systems. Across topics like oceanography, marine/coastal ecology, climate science, ocean exploration technology, community-based conservation, and related fields — our goal is to inspire and empower people across the globe to better understand and protect the world’s ocean.
As vast as the ocean itself, the stories that derive from our ocean Explorers inspire us to connect with the ocean and work toward finding solutions to protect it. As of today, we have helped protect millions of square kilometers of ocean through our Explorer-led programs.
Pristine Seas
National Geographic Explorer in Residence Enric Sala and a team of determined scientists, storytellers, and policy experts launched the Pristine Seas project in 2008 to explore and help inspire the protection of the world’s ocean. Together, they are working to inspire the creation of protected areas where marine life can thrive — while ensuring effective management for years to come.
Our Ocean Explorers
From shallow coastal tides to the depths of the sea, they reveal underwater worlds that sustain life on Earth.
Our Explorers have embarked on groundbreaking expeditions — they’ve discovered new marine life, uncovered significant pieces of human history, created several important marine life reserves supporting both wildlife and local communities, and inspired countless others to explore the ocean. They are determined photographers, marine biologists, scientists, policy experts, and filmmakers working to protect marine life and ensure its survival.
Ocean Explorers
Read more stories of impact from some of our Ocean Explorers on nationalgeographic.com
Jahawi Bertolli: Telling the story of the ocean
Salome Buglass: Protecting underwater mountain systems
David Gruber: Researching with respect and a gentler touch
Asha de Vos: From childhood dreaming to pioneering explorer
Sylvia Earle: Exploring and protecting the ocean for seven decades
Making a difference
Help us protect the ocean
Inspire the next generation to save our oceans
Our oceans are key to our planet's survival. With our ocean resources, educators can bring engaging and important lessons and activities to learners everywhere and encourage young people to protect our marine ecosystems.
Support our work
We believe that when people understand our world and have deep, emotional connection to its natural and cultural wonders, they’ll take action to support and protect them. Will you help protect the wonder of our marine world?
Photo Credits from top of page: Enric Sala, Manu San Félix, Steve De Neef, Joe McKendry (illustration), Manu San Félix, Octavio Aburto. Below: Michael Nichols, Andy Mann, Paul Nicklen, Ami Vitale, Christian Tryon, Kenneth Garrett, Mark Thiessen.