Changing Seas

Creatures of the Deep

In the cold, deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico, little-known animals spend their entire lives in near darkness, far removed from our human world. Until now, little research has been conducted on these creatures of the deep, keeping much of their lives a mystery. Then, in April of 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded, setting off the largest marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry. Roughly 4.9 million barrels of crude oil gushed out of the well at a depth of 5-thousand feet. In the disaster's aftermath, many questions arose about what lives in the deep waters of the Gulf, and how these animals may have been impacted by the oil. To answer these questions, scientists from the Deep-C Consortium's ecology team conduct regular research trips in the area.