Love is in the air, and sea: 5 facts about the affections of marine creatures

Two hawksbill turtles interacting.

Two hawksbill turtles interacting. (Image credit: NOAA Fisheries/Don Mcleish)

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Sea creatures find love 

In an ocean of blue, 

Fun facts are sweet, 

Here are some just for you


1. Have a (really big!) heart

Who has the biggest heart on the planet? Whale, whale, whale — look who it is! The blue whale is the winner, with a heart weighing in at more than 1,000 pounds! That’s about as big as a dairy cow! Learn more about the big-hearted blue whale.

A blue whale photographed during a survey of marine mammals in the eastern Pacific ocean basin, conducted by the Marine Mammal and Turtle Division at NOAA Fisheries' Southwest Fisheries Science Center.
A blue whale photographed during a survey of marine mammals in the eastern Pacific ocean basin, conducted by the Marine Mammal and Turtle Division at NOAA Fisheries' Southwest Fisheries Science Center. (NOAA Fisheries/Southwest Fisheries Science Center/James W. Gilpatrick, Jr. and Morgan S. Lynn)
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2. Quantity versus quality 

The blue whale has the biggest heart, but the octopus has three! Two of the octopuses' hearts pump blood to the gills, collecting oxygen so the octopus can breathe, while the third heart circulates the oxygenated blood throughout the rest of the body.

A deepwater octopus, Gradeledone verrucosa, is one of many species found within the proposed Hudson Canyon sanctuary area.
Deepwater octopus, Graneledone verrucosa, photographed in Hudson Canyon, New York, during NOAA’s “2021 ROV Shakedown” expedition​​​​​​. (NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research)
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3. Long-distance love     

Think it’s tough traveling a half hour to meet your date? If so, be thankful you aren’t a leatherback turtle! These sea turtles undertake the longest migrations between breeding and feeding areas of any sea turtle, with some averaging 3,700 miles each way! That’s a true long-distance relationship.

Leatherback sea turtle swimming on the ocean’s surface.
Leatherback sea turtle swimming on the ocean’s surface. (NOAA Fisheries)
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4. Sticking together

Which fish is prone to intense romantic attachment? The anglerfish, for one! Male anglerfish are much smaller than females, and their goal in life is to find females to physically latch onto. When a male finds a female, he bites the female and fuses his body with hers. (Ouch! Love hurts). The male then provides the female with sperm to fertilize her eggs, and the female provides him with nutrients.

NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Windows to the Deep 2018.
Anglerfish, in the genus Chaunacops, have a small lure on a short stalk between their eyes that they wiggle in order to attract prey. While often resting on the seafloor or "walking" on modified fins, sometimes these fish swim. (NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Windows to the Deep 2018)
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5. A ballad for your beloved 

Dating can be hard —  even in the ocean! Humpback whales produce complex songs to attract a mate. Need inspiration for your next romantic ballad? Listen to this humpback whale love song recorded by researchers from Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.

A humpback whale in the singing position.
A humpback whale in the singing position. (NOAA's National Ocean Service)
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