What’s one of the noisiest animals in the ocean? The snapping shrimp! 

These tiny, two-inch animals make a big sound by quickly shutting their snapper claws and releasing a bubble at up to 60 miles per hour. Snapping shrimp like this one can often be heard at Stetson Bank in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. They use their loud snaps to communicate, defend their territory, and in some cases, to stun or kill their prey. Other marine animals use the snapping sound as a cue about ocean conditions and resources. 

Unfortunately, ocean acidification can significantly reduce the sound level and frequency of these shrimps’ snaps. When humans burn fossil fuels like oil and gas, we release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Some of that carbon dioxide is absorbed by the ocean and changes the ocean’s chemistry. This changing chemistry seems to be changing snapping shrimps’ behavior, causing them to snap less frequently. You can help the snapping shrimp and the animals that depend on their sounds by working with your community to reduce the amount of fossil fuels you use. What steps will you take to help these noisy little shrimp? 

(Photo: Paul Caiger)