Best Photos of 2015

The reefs in BIOT bleached in cotton-candy coral shades of pink and blue. Photo: Philip G. Renaud/KSLOF
We were the first to witness a mass bleaching event in BIOT this year. Photo: Philip G. Renaud/KSLOF
The corals were not the only things to bleach in the sunny, calm, waters, the anemones bleached too! Photo: Philip G. Renaud/KSLOF
A diver surfaces. Photo: Ken Marks/KSLOF
There was exceptionally high coral cover on some of the reefs in BIOT, which are protected in a very large MPA. Photo: Ken Marks/KSLOF
Waves of sand. Photo: Ken Marks/KSLOF
A school of batfish. Photo: Ken Marks/KSLOF
BIOT was almost as fascinating above the water as below, the tiny, flat islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean were home to large flocks of birds and lots of small crabs. Photo: Ken Marks/KSLOF
Palau from above. Photo: ©Keith Ellenbogen/iLCP
Diving the big blue corner with a humphead wrasse. ©Keith Ellenbogen/iLCP
A closeup image of a pink anemonefish within the tentacles of a magnificent anemone. ©Keith Ellenbogen/iLCP
The Ngerukewid Islands or Seventy Islands are Palau\'s iconic landscape symbolizing pristine beauty. The Seventy Islands (literally translated from Palau\'s name Ngerukuid meaning seventy). These islands are part of the Rock Islands, an archipelago that includes approximately 250 to 300 islands.
A Green Sea Turtle swims over the coral reef. Green sea turtles are listed as endangered by the IUCN and CITES and is protected from exploitation in most countries. ©Keith Ellenbogen/iLCP
A school of Crescent-Tail Bigeye showing their vibrant red coloration within a healthy coral reef. ©Keith Ellenbogen/iLCP
A close up view of the many ridges and valleys within the hard coral (Pachyseris sp.). This coral is also known as elephant skin coral due to its similar appearance. It\'s a zipper coral. ©Keith Ellenbogen/iLCP
Scientist conducting benthic surveys of the coral reef. ©Keith Ellenbogen/iLCP
Nemo and the zombie Anemone https://livingoceansfoundation.org/nemo-and-the-zombie-anemone/ Photo: Derek Manzello/KSLOF
Our favorite from the Global Reef Expedition in Palau, of two clownfish in thier host anemone. ©Keith Ellenbogen/iLCP
Even the areas away from the reefs had large schools of fish in Palau. ©Keith Ellenbogen/iLCP
A diver swims over a bleaching reef in BIOT. Photo: Derek Manzello/KSLOF
Coral close-up. Photo: Derek Manzello/KSLOF
Nurse shark in BIOT. Photo: Anderson Mayfield/KSLOF
Chagos Archipelago Photo: Anderson Mayfield/KSLOF
Coral reef ecologist Alex Dempsey surfaces from a sunset dive in BIOT. Photo: Anderson Mayfield/KSLOF
The reefs in BIOT were swarming with fish, the highest fish biomass we\'ve recorded on the GRE. Photo: Anderson Mayfield/KSLOF

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