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John Turnbull PhD

@johnwturnbull.bsky.social
1.2K followers 1K following 70 posts

Marine ecologist focusing on social-ecological systems, remote and protected areas; ROV, photogrammetry and UVC specialist; Reef Life Survey coordinator and Research Fellow at Uni of Sydney, www.marineexplorer.org

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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 10/01/2026
Gentoo Penguins live in the Subantarctic, nesting on islands such as Heard and Macquarie Island and the Antarctic Peninsula. They are the third-largest penguin, and, like Adelies, are known to steal nest stones from each other. #saef_arc #aurora_expeditions #marineexplorer flic.kr/p/2rRdBBV%F0...
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Gentoo Penguin with chick
Gentoo Penguins live in the Subantarctic, nesting on islands such as Heard and Macquarie Island and the Antarctic Peninsula. They are the third-largest penguin, and, like Adelies, are known to steal n...
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
King Penguins are the second largest penguin, growing to almost 1 m tall and weighing 18 kg. The adults have striking colouration similar to the Emperor Penguin, but their chicks are a lovely chocolate colour. #marineexplorer #saef_arc #aurora_expeditions #sydney_science flic.kr/p/2rQWGKj 🧪🦑
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King Penguin
King Penguins are the second largest penguin, growing to almost 1 m tall and weighing 18 kg. The adults have striking colouration similar to the Emperor Penguin, but their chicks are a lovely chocolat...
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
Albatross wingspans can reach 3 m. They are incredible to watch as they glide effortlessly without flapping, using the energy in the wind. #marineexplorer #saef_arc #aurora_expeditions #sydney_science flic.kr/p/2rQUpAs 🧪🦑
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Albatross wingspan
Albatross wingspans can reach 3 m. They are incredible to watch, as they glide effortlessly without flapping, using the energy in the wind. Antarctic expedition 2025
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 02/01/2026
Royal Penguins on Macca. If I didn't know better I'd say the penguin in the foreground was thinking "ooh that's cold!!". #marineexplorer #saef_arc #aurora_expeditions #sydney_science flic.kr/p/2rPW3pM 🧪🦑
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Royal Penguins
If I didn't know better I'd say the penguin in the foreground was thinking "ooh that's cold!!". Antarctica expedition 2025
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 30/12/2025
Campbell Albatross is one of around 20 albatross species, endemic to Campbell Island in the NZ subantarctic region. #marineexplorer #saef_arc #sydney_science #aurora_expeditions flic.kr/p/2rPo4hf 🧪🦑
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Campbell Albatross
Antarctica expedition 2025
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 28/12/2025
Elephant Seals moult once a year in spring. They lose their outer fur layer then re-grow it. During this time they are on land, and are more susceptible to heat loss. #aurora_expeditions #saef_arc #sydney_science #marineexplorer flic.kr/p/2rP2uNd 🧪🦑
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Elephant Seal moulting
Elephant Seals moult once a year in spring. They lose their outer fur layer then re-grow it. During this time they are on land, and are more susceptible to heat loss. Antarctica expedition 2025
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 27/12/2025
As we left the Antarctic region today en route to the NZ Subantarctic islands we were treated to a wonderful display of #icebergs #aurora_expeditions #sydney_science #saef_arc #marineexplorer More pics: www.flickr.com/photos/johnw...
Several icebergs of various shapes, light blue and white in colour
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 26/12/2025
Adelie Penguins are a sea ice obligate species; they need sea ice to forage and survive in Antarctica. They feed primarily on krill, which in turn feed on sea ice algae in winter. Declines in sea ice are expected to impact on Adelie Penguin populations. #marineexplorer flic.kr/p/2rNu8av 🧪🦑
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Adelie Penguins on ice
Antarctica expedition 2025
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 24/12/2025
Merry Christmas everyone! To celebrate, here is a selection of white Christmas shots from Antarctica. We're currently sitting over the magnetic South Pole. @aurora_expeditions @saef_arc @sydney_science
Icebergs, sea ice, view from bow of ship, penguins on sea ice
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 23/12/2025
Despite their name, Crabeater Seals eat primarily krill. They have specialised teeth for filtering their prey. These two remind me of my Labrador... #saef_arc #sydney_science #aurora_expeditions #marineexplorer 🧪🦑 flic.kr/p/2rNkjek
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Crabeater Seal
Despite their name, Crabeater Seals eat primarily krill. They have specialised teeth for filtering their prey. These two remind me of my Labrador... Antarctica expedition 2025
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 21/12/2025
Sea ice and icebergs have wonderful colours that arise from different processes. White ice is filled with air bubbles which reflect the light. Blue ice is more solid, and the light loses the red wavelengths as it passes through Green/brown ice is coated w algae. flic.kr/p/2rMMnSW #marineexplorer 🧪
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Sea ice colours
Antarctica expedition 2025
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 20/12/2025
Lots of animals huddle together, from birds to bats, rodents to seals. It can be for warmth and protection from predators... I wonder what is going on here? Elephant Seal huddle flic.kr/p/2rMBxDV #marineexplorer #aurora_expeditions #saef_arc #sydney_science 🧪🦑
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Elephant Seal huddle
Antarctica expedition 2025; Macquarie Island
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
First icebergs today! In order to qualify, bergs need to be at least 5 m high. I think these ones pass the test. You can only see 10% of the ice mass - the other 90% is below the water #sydney_science #saef_arc #aurora_expeditions #marineexplorer
Several shots of icebergs
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 17/12/2025
Elephant seals can dive to great depths in order to find prey (over 2000 m). Their large eyes and sensitive whiskers allow them to find prey in low, or even no light. flic.kr/p/2rMbSin #saef_arc #aurora_expeditions #sydney_science #marineexplorer 🧪🦑
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Elephant Seal eyes
Elephant seal's big eyes and sensitive whiskers help them to find prey in the dimly-lit depths of the ocean. Antarctic expedition 2025, Macquarie Island
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 17/12/2025
Spectacular morning ashore on Macquarie Island among the seals and penguins... thanks so much to #saef_arc #aurora_expeditions #sydney_science 🧪🦑 #marineexplorer
Royal and King Penguins, and a seal pup
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 16/12/2025
Royal penguins are endemic to Macquarie Island, and have a cool fluoro hairstyle. This yellow crest is not pure vanity, it is used to signal fitness for breeding, for species recognition and social signalling. flic.kr/p/2rM4Bn3 @saef_arc @sydney_science #marineexplorer @aurora_expeditions 🧪🦑
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Royal penguin
Antarctic expedition 2025, Macquarie Island
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 15/12/2025
A new favourite bird for me, the light-mantled sooty. Several of this spectacular bird circled our ship for hours, making the most of the lift from the wind over the superstructure #SAEF #marineexplorer #Antarctica flic.kr/p/2rLTnjT 🧪🦑
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Light-mantled sooty albatross
Antarctic aexpedition 2025
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 14/12/2025
Two more albatross species today; shy and grey-headed, and a white-chinned petrel that has followed the ship for hours #marineexplorer #Antarctica #aurora_expeditions #SAEF 🧪🦑
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 13/12/2025
First day at sea on our expedition to Commonwealth Bay in east #Antarctica, and we've been joined by three species of albatross already! Such magnificent birds, cruising effortlessly on massive wingspans #auroraexpeditions #USyd #SAEF @stephgardner.bsky.social #marinescience 🧪🦑
Wandering albatross sailing above the ocean
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 27/07/2025
A short set of clips from today's dive at Bare Island; testing lighting and camera settings. Lots of planktivores about... but 15 C water temp was a bit cool. 🦑 vimeo.com/1104838811
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Bare Island July 2025
A short set of clips from today's dive; testing lighting and camera settings. Lots of planktivores about... but 15 C water temp was a bit cool
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 27/06/2025
Nice to see substantial populations of Hippocampus whitei #seahorses on our surveys of two sites in #sydneyharbour today #marinescience #threatenedspecies 🧪🦑
mosaic of six photographs of seahorses on nets
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 19/05/2025
In our final week of fieldwork at One Tree Island and we have almost completed surveys on 26 sites, with current loggers and microhabitat studies on many of them. A massive thanks to all concerned! 🧪🦑 #SAEF_ARC #SydneyUni #marineexplorer
Pics of several fishers, a diver doing surveys and a current logger
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
Whilst there is more dead coral than live, there are signs of growth throughout; small patches of live coral on broken reef, live tips on dead branches. The challenge of course will be when the next heatwave comes. For close ups: www.flickr.com/photos/johnw... #SAEF_ARC #marineexplorer
Damaged corals with some live patches
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 12/05/2025
Our latest paper highlights changes in the marine community at Shiprock in Sydney over half a century. #sydney_science #SAEF_ARC #marineexplorer 🧪🦑 Open access: doi.org/10.1071/MF24...
Inforgraphic showing how marine life hase changed from the 1960s to the 2010s
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 12/05/2025
Wonderful diversity of critters on our surveys today at the Labyrinth, #onetreeisland #sydneyuni #SAEF_ARC #marineexplorer 🧪🦑
Goby with shrimp, squid, nudibranch, damsel fish and hermit crab
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
Despite extensive damage from the recent cyclone and 2024 bleaching, there are some signs of recovery in the southern GBR #onetreeisland #universityofsydney #SAEF_ARC #marineexplorer 🧪🦑
some live corals with fish and a diver
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 06/05/2025
The photogrammetry stage of our field trip is now well underway, capturing reef complexity and biodiversity in great detail #one_tree_island #sydney_science #marineexplorer #saef_arc 🧪🦑
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 05/05/2025
Getting ready for a day in the field #SAEF_ARC #Universityofsydney ##marineexplorer #@OneTreeIslandRS 🧪🦑
Cameras on benchView of lagoon
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 02/05/2025
Highly protected, actively managed MPAs with evidence of monitoring and enforcement have more positive ecological outcomes. Cell Reports Sustainability: Cell Reports Sustainability 🧪🦑 www.cell.com/cell-reports...
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Marine protected areas stage of establishment and level of protection are good predictors of their conservation outcomes
Global targets should track MPA quality and quantity. This is the first study using a new science-based framework across 123 MPAs and tying levels of protection and stages of establishment directly to...
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 29/04/2025
Day 5 of our University of Sydney research trip to One Tree Island, and we have refined our methods and completed 8 biodiversity surveys. Tomorrow we put out flow meters to measure lagoon currents, then start our microhabitat study in earnest. #marineexplorer 🦑 🧪
Series of images of reef fishes, diver surveying and hermit crab
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 15/03/2025
Can you see the animal? flic.kr/p/2qRYAN7 🦑
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Can you see the animal?
Jervis Bay RLS
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 14/03/2025
Wobby in a cave, Jervis Bay. #reeflifesurvey #marineexplorer flic.kr/p/2qRMhJd 🦑
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Orectolobus halei
Jervis Bay RLS
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 13/03/2025
Day 1 of #reeflifesurvey in JB; lovely warm, calm conditions for our first two sites 🦑 🧪
Bulseyes, urchins and divers doing surveys
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 01/03/2025
A few fishy faces (ok, two are invertebrates) from this morning's #reeflifesurvey at Camp Cove in #sydneyharbour. If you want to see the flathead (looks like just sand and paddleweed until you zoom in) see www.flickr.com/photos/johnw... 🦑 🧪
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 09/02/2025
Several endangered White's #seahorses on the nets in #SydneyHarbour during our surveys last weekend... and more red cuttlefish (A. mestus) than we normally see #marinescience #marineexplorer 🦑 🧪
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 14/12/2024
As we cross from the Coral Sea back into the GBR we have favourable winds and a nice big incoming tide; smiles all around! A few more sites in the GBR over the next few days before we wrap up #reeflifesurvey #marineexplorer 🦑 🧪
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 12/12/2024
Day 12 of #reeflifesurvey in the GBR and Coral Sea, and we are at Marion reefs around 400 km offshore. Some terrific sea life today particularly on our big bommie site. #marineexplorer 🦑 🧪
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 09/12/2024
After 10 days of good weather we have completed #reeflifesurvey in the Capricorn Bunkers, Swains, Saumarez and Frederick reefs. The water is a beautiful blue in the Coral Sea but fish IDs are a challenge! Next: Marion reefs then back to GBR. Pics: www.flickr.com/photos/johnw... #marineexplorer 🦑 🧪
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 03/12/2024
Day 3 and we've been surveying around the Keppel Islands. Conditions were calm last night for our transit to the Capricorn Bunker group. #reeflifesurvey #marineexplorer #marinescience 🦑 🧪
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 02/12/2024
A few critters from today's #reeflifesurvey in the GBR, including a coral lobster and a couple of colourful nudis. www.flickr.com/photos/johnw... #marineexplorer 🦑 🧪
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 01/12/2024
I never tire of #sunrise at sea #marineexplorer #reeflifesurvey
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 30/11/2024
Day 1 of 3 weeks of #reeflifesurvey in the GBR and Coral Sea #marineexplorer
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
Another #artwork attempt, this time stippling (pen dots... no solid lines) :) flic.kr/p/W8RwnH #shark #marineexplorer 🦑
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Baby Port Jackson shark drawing
Heterodontus portusjacksoni
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 23/11/2024
Hairy anglerfish (Antennarius striatus) angling, yawning and walking 🦑 vimeo.com/660839395
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Anglerfish antics.mp4
Watch as this young striate anglerfish (Antennarius striatus) goes fishing and generally turns on the charm for the camera.
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
Trying my hand with a paintbrush instead of a camera... red scorpionfish 🦑 flic.kr/p/2mW4BiZ
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Red scorpionfish
Watercolour art
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
Love this school of bigeye trevally mooching along in the marine reserve north of Stradbroke Island. 🦑 🧪 Captured during #reeflifesurvey #marineexplorer vimeo.com/722511871
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Bigeye trevally
Flat Rock, Stradbroke Island
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 17/11/2024
Some highlights from today's dive out the back of Bare Island in Botany Bay, #Sydney 🦑 vimeo.com/1030403413
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Bare Island Nov '24
Lovely dive around the back of Bare Is, over the saddle then along the deep wall. Still some PJs around and a cute red cuttlefish
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 16/11/2024
Several svelte swimming syngnathids... Weedies this time, including 3 males with eggs. 🧪 🦑 vimeo.com/660490777
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Five weedies.mp4
I recorded five weedy seadragons; 3 males with eggs and 2 females; on this dive in the marine sanctuary at Cabbage Tree Bay, Sydney. The dive took me to 20 m, with…
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 15/11/2024
What's not to love about Syngnathids? vimeo.com/474265816 🦑🧪
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Leafy seadragon
This is "Leafy seadragon" by Marine Explorer on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.
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John Turnbull PhD @johnwturnbull.bsky.social · 15/11/2024
Sharing this giant cuttlefish courtship display... I can watch the colour and movement for ages vimeo.com/958787387
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Shelly giant cuttlefish display
Two giant cuttlefish squaring off, doing their best to look big and tough :)
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