1001 Seaforest Species

Stories from the Heart of Nature

The 1001 Seaforest Species project brings ashore the stories of 1001 organisms that call the Great African Seaforest home. A scientific inquiry with the art of underwater tracking and storytelling at its heart, core members Dr Jannes Landschoff, Emeritus Professor Charles Griffiths and Craig Foster unveil the secret lives of these creatures. This bid to build a lasting seedbank of species knowledge is driven by an urgent call to inspire awareness of and awe for nature.

Biodiversity – that breathtaking array of life on earth – underpins our survival, and knowing it is crucial for supporting its protection. The number 1001 draws inspiration from the tale One Thousand and One Nights, where a young woman’s endless storytelling keeps her alive night after night, eventually softening the heart of a vengeful king. Similarly, 1001 Seaforest Species seeks to keep Mother Nature alive by sharing her stories, species by species, fostering a profound sense of wonder and an urgency to protect her.

This evolving project is presented simply, with each species arranged numerically starting from #0001: the octopus, the animal that captured the world’s imagination in our Oscar-winning film My Octopus Teacher, to #1001: Homo sapiens, the human in the seaforest. Each animal has a story, and we are all connected in the miraculously complex web of life that is biodiversity.

1001 Seaforest Species is a collaboration with, and made possible by, Save Our Seas Foundation
#0001

Octopus

Octopus vulgaris

The octopus is our great teacher as she holds a special place in the ecology of the seaforest. We have perhaps got closer, and learnt more from her, than from any other seaforest animal. Nearly every kelp forest species is somehow linked to her behavioural complexity. Octopuses have shown us how they hunt up to 100 different species of prey, how they in turn avoid predation by seals and sharks, and how they master an unimaginable life of camouflage. For us she is the inspiration at the centre of the biological wonder that is Mother Nature.

#0001

Background

Ocean species knowledge inspires awareness and builds support for conservation

The oceans around the southern tip of Africa are diverse and unique. The warm, fast-flowing Agulhas Current carries subtropical waters from the Indian Ocean along South Africa’s east coast, contrasting with the cold, nutrient-rich waters of the Benguela Current on the west coast, where giant kelp forests thrive. This contrasting oceanographic diversity makes South Africa’s coastline globally important, with 33% of the >13,000 marine species known thus far being endemic.

False Bay
Cape fur seal

Cape Point near False Bay marks a biological break point for marine species distributions and is home to the Great African Seaforest, a unique and diverse kelp forest ecosystem. Our team has explored and cherished this region for over a decade, helping it gain recognition as a valuable marine ecosystem. We carefully embedded the name ‘Great African Seaforest’ in all our media work, and in 2021 it was named a New World Wonder. This iconic status will help towards its long-term protection.

Aims

We aim to preserve, build and share knowledge of the Great African Seaforest to ensure its long-term protection

As environmental challenges threaten the last remaining wilderness areas of our planet, we use underwater tracking, marine biology research, and storytelling to:

  • Foster a holistic understanding of the marine environment
  • Connect people to nature, inspiring an emotional bond and care for the natural world
  • Raise awareness locally and globally about biodiversity’s essential role in human survival, promoting active participation in protecting the web of life
  • Highlight the significance of the Great African Seaforest to safeguard its iconic status and support its preservation
  • Bridge gaps between the science-to-policy interface to inspire political action
  • Encourage world business leaders to adopt a nature-centred value system

OUR THREE-PRONGED APPROACH

Underwater Tracking

An observational skill honed through presence and connection with the environment, tracking enables a deeper understanding of the seaforest, sometimes even the discovery of new species or novel animal behaviours.

Research
Marine biology and research provides the context and foundational knowledge. We collaborate with local and global research partners, programmes and projects.
Storytelling
Storytelling brings creatures to life. Each species’ unique story highlights the interconnectedness of this diverse ecosystem with the aim to move people to realise their own role in protecting our wild spaces.

Videos

We invite you to watch some of our favourite videos created from deep nature immersion to celebrate the biodiversity of the Great African Seaforest, and to inspire awe and change

Beacon of Biodiversity

The Great African Seaforest is a powerful beacon of biological diversity

The Great African Seaforest and the ocean at our doorstep represent not just hope, but a living system that enriches our planet at a time when global awareness, policy and enforcement are urgently needed to restore the health of our natural world.

Our 1001 Seaforest Species project is centred around this remarkable kelp forest and the vital marine biodiversity it supports. Through documenting and highlighting the unique characteristics of the species within the Great African Seaforest ecosystem, we emphasise their interdependence and their crucial role in the health of the world’s oceans.

Our strategic objective is to accelerate global awareness of kelp forests in key domains, including the general public, the scientific and conservation communities, governments, multilateral institutions and businesses. We aim to inspire people worldwide to create conditions where such ecosystems can flourish and to energise individuals to take personal action in protecting biodiversity, leading to a deeper sense of purpose and meaning in their lives.

#0008

Rock Crab

Guinusia chabrus

Rock crabs are key players in the subtidal ecology of South African kelp forest shores, forming healthy populations of omnivorous foragers. While they hunt for small invertebrates, they must stay alert, as they are amongst the favourite food of the octopus. Rock crabs have an impressive escape mechanism: their flattened legs are perfectly adapted for quick swimming when needed.

#0008

App

1001 Seaforest Species Nature Field Guide App
We’re excited to launch the 1001 Seaforest Species app in 2025—a free, custom-built guide to the incredible marine life found in the Great African Seaforest. Designed with an intuitive species identification tool, the app will help users explore a range of categories, from fish to crustaceans and mollusks, and identify individual species with ease. This resource is tailored for the local marine community and anyone fascinated by ocean biodiversity. Highlighting rare and unique species found only in our region, the app will also contribute valuable knowledge to global biodiversity by including new discoveries and first-ever live images of marine life.

Social

Follow us on @seachangeproject to keep up to date on our latest #1001species stories and discoveries
It’s see-through, has a trunk-like proboscis and googly eyes. And it’s rarely spotted in the Great African Seaforest, yet here it is! This diaphanous delight is just one of the creatures in our 1001 Seaforest Species project, which combines science, storytelling and underwater tracking to unveil the secret lives of forest species and inspire awe, appreciation and action. To find out what this mystery creature is, and read about the 1001 project, sign up to our newsletter, which is coming out tomorrow, link in bio.

#1001species #1001seaforestspecies #seachangeproject #greatafricanseaforest #capetown #capetownsouthafrica #freedive #ocean
South Africa is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, and when we think of this, our brains immediately conjure up things like lions, fynbos, mountains, or thorn trees. It’s a natural response: our minds only know what they see. However, our oceans are a key part of this abundance, from the tiniest crustacean to the heftiest whale. And because the sea is such a vast, under-explored space, there are so many mysteries to solve. As Sea Change Project marine scientist Jannes Landschoff says, “I could work forever and still not discover or identify every species”. He and numerous collaborators work tirelessly every day to piece together the puzzles that exist under the surface.
 
Photo @jannes_landschoff 

#Rememberyouarewild #1001species #seachangeproject #Rememberyouarewild #biodiversity
Can you say “Ten Tiny Telson Tongues” three times?
These charismatic Telson-tongue isopods (Panathura serricauda) don’t just have a name that sounds like a rejected Harry Potter spell; it also boasts a distinctive telson (the end part of its tail) that's tongue-shaped. At first glance, the telson seems like nothing more than a modest appendage. However, it serves many functions in the life of these marine isopods. It acts as a rudder to navigate through a labyrinth of tubes; it acts as a shield, an armour forged by nature and it can take on a role of love allowing two isopods to intertwine. The telson holds a story of survival, of artful navigation, of steadfast defense, and of love in the world of marine isopods.
These marine isopods are detritivores that nibble on algae, detritus, and microorganisms. Their minuscule size belies their ocean-sized importance, for they're the custodians of cleanliness, helping to break down and recycle dead matter, keeping the Seaforest sparkling.

Image: @Jannes Landschoff 
Words @chaitanya_katz

#1001species #1001 #OceanConservation #ProtectWildlife #WildlifeProtection #EndangeredSpecies #MarineLife #CleanSeas #PlasticFree #SustainableLiving #ClimateAction #EcoFriendly #NaturePhotography #ConservationEfforts #ProtectBiodiversity #WildlifePhotography #StopExtinction #NatureConservation #SustainableDevelopment #Landscapes #EarthDayEveryDay #ProtectNature #NaturePreservation #EnvironmentalProtection #EcoWarrior #GreenLiving #ConservationEducation #SaveThePlanet #oceanawareness

TEAM

1001 Seaforest Species is a multifaceted project with ambitious goals, made possible through the hard work, support, and collaboration of many valued contributors

Dr Jannes Landschoff
Sea Change Project Marine Biologist and Project Leader

Jannes is a marine biologist, trained crustacean specialist and ecologist who leads the scientific research for 1001. His interests and talents in the field of natural history span from documentary photography and film to ecological biodiversity research and conservation. He is a Research Fellow at the Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University.

Craig Foster
Sea Change Project Co-Founder and Project Leader

Craig has spent more than a decade practising underwater tracking in the Great African Seaforest. He brings these skills to the project by closely observing the ways of the 1001 species, learning from them, and then using his storytelling background to weave rich tales about their often secret lives.

Emer Prof. Charles Griffiths
Marine Biologist

Emeritus Prof Charles Griffiths is a former Head of the Zoology Department and Director of the Marine Biology Research Institute at University of Cape Town. He has been studying the marine fauna of the region for over 50 years and has described over 100 species new to science. He is author of several guide books to regional fauna and produces a YouTube channel, Explore the Shore ,with his son Matthew. He wrote many of the 1001 Seaforest Species pages.

TRACKING ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Craig would like to acknowledge his original tracking mentors — !Nqate Xqamxebe, Karoha Langwane, and Xlhoase Xlhokhne — who inspired his journey into underwater tracking. This technique, shared with Jannes and the Sea Change team, continues to evolve, has led to numerous scientific discoveries and strongly influences the project, for which we are deeply grateful. We also extend our thanks to master tracker JJ Minye for his invaluable contributions to our intertidal and coastal tracking practices.

!Nqate Xqamxebe
!Nqate Xgamxebe​
Karoha Langwane
Karoha Langwane
Xlhoase Xlhokhne
Xlhoase Xlhokhne
JJ Minye
JJ Minye

Principal Partners

Over the years we’ve had the privilege to come to know and work with many of the deeply passionate team from the Save our Seas Foundation (SOSF) – our 1001 Seaforest Species principal collaborator and funder. SOSF have spent over 20 years protecting sharks and rays around the world. We feel very grateful to work with this fabulous team of scientists and storytellers, together giving voice to the countless voiceless animals that are our teachers, our inspiration and our life support system.

#0042

Red Roman

Chrysoblephus laticeps

The Red roman is one of the kelp forest’s most iconic fish, known for its curiosity towards divers. These fish start life as females in small groups but, at around 30 cm, transform into males and become territorial over a specific area. In protected environments, they can live for at least 17 years, becoming like kin to those of us who dive there regularly. This large male Red Roman followed us closely on one of our swims, adding to the feeling of being at home in the seaforest.

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Media

Recent Articles

November, 2024

How do we love thee? Let us count the ways

October, 2024

New discoveries: three tiny species added to South Africa’s spectacular marine life

August, 2024

Professor’s Marine Research Featured on New Scientific Platform

July, 2024

New Clam Species Discovered in South Africa’s Kelp Forest

June, 2024

Supporting 1001 Seaforest Species

April, 2024

A Kelpforest Species Community Approach

Research Collaborations

Recent Publications

Archive