NOAA Ocean Exploration, Seascape Alaska. Download (mp4, 49.7 MB).
No rush here! We observed this sea cucumber slowly lift off from the seafloor and launch into a mesmerizing slow “dance” during a Seascape Alaska 5 dive off the coast of Kodiak, Alaska.
While we most often see sea cucumbers (or holothurians) resting on the seafloor, chowing down on sediment or debris raining down from above, some sea cukes are actually masters of buoyancy, able to propel themselves briefly into the water column, perhaps to escape a predator or find a better feeding spot.