Melissa Hobson
Marine science and conservation writer
Melissa Hobson, doing business as The Ocean Writer Ltd., is a marine science and conservation writer based in Hastings. She has written about the ocean for outlets including BBC Wildlife, BBC Countryfile, National Geographic, New Scientist and the Guardian. Visit Melissa’s website at melissahobson.co.uk or follow her on LinkedIn.
Recent articles by Melissa Hobson
”It was nature in its rawest and most powerful form.” Witnessing a pod of orcas was amazing enough – but then this happened...
Orcas hunt dolphins in Scotland and wildlife watchers saw the whole thing unfold
"Symptoms include fever, vomiting, cramps and shortness of breath." 10 deadliest and most dangerous animals in the Mediterranean Sea
Great whites, purple stinging jellyfish and several invisible threats – how dangerous are the animals in the Mediterranean Sea?
These endangered whales have lived in a small sea for 70,000 years. One of them just broke the pattern
Humpback whales in the Arabian Sea were thought to be ‘homebodies’ but one individual just flipped the script
"This grimacingly ugly creature has adorned itself with gold and, yet, still manages to look ghastly... " 10 ugliest, hideous animals in the ocean
Not every creature in the sea won the genetic lottery
Deep-sea scientists just filmed an elusive predator with “grotesquely protruding jaw” alive for the first time
Goblin sharks are one of the most baffling species of sharks, with jaws that can protrude out of their face like a slingshot
"Its venom is 1,200 times more deadly than cyanide and there's no antidote." 10 deadliest and most dangerous animals on the Great Barrier Reef
A golf-ball sized octopus, a headbutting shark, the animal that killed Steve Irwin... 10 creatures you definitely want to avoid
“My fingers were trembling.” Divers were removing ghost nets in the Mediterranean, when THIS happened…
Experts were removing harmful ‘ghost gear’ from a shipwreck when the ocean’s most iconic predator cruised into view
At the bottom of the Indian Ocean a deep sea robot discovered something huge and truly incredible
The 5.3-million-year-old ‘whale graveyard’ extends for more than one thousand kilometres and supports entire ocean communities
This bizarre marine creature breathes air, goes four years between meals and cocoons itself in its own mucus
What's the longest a fish can go without eating?
“I had a hunch something was about to happen." This researcher was filming a manta ray from above, when this happened
While observing a manta ray in New Zealand waters, researcher Lydia Green was in for a big surprise.
A blood-sucking fly was driving this Galápagos bird to extinction. Then conservationists stepped in
The Critically Endangered Galápagos mangrove finch has had its most successful breeding season on record, with 25 fledglings recorded.
Scientists took water samples from a pier in California – and made a surprising discovery about a "ruthless predator"
Meet the predatory plankton that harpoons toxic plankton and glows like a broken nightlight.
It's famous for its white sands, surf – and being the shark bite capital of the world...
Why are there so many shark bites in Volusia County, Florida? Here’s everything you need to know
“It was like an elephant’s trunk – 4 times its original size." This deadly sting causes pain, swelling, difficulty breathing and heart issues...
This fish disguises itself on the seabed to trick prey into coming close, then sucks them into its hungry mouth using a strong vacuum
Night diver films ‘photographer’s nightmare’ on Borneo reef
This hairy creature is almost impossible to see, making sightings incredibly rare – hence its nickname, the 'photographer's nightmare'.
Massive eel-like fish filmed in the Salish Sea. These giants can grow longer than a park bench
Wolf eels can grow more than two metres long – this videographer caught one on camera.
“Suddenly saw a massive black fin rise from the sea.” Boat operator has incredible encounter off English coast
The rare orca sighting had the whole boat “buzzing with excitement”.
Deadly box jellyfish discovered on Singapore's 'Island of Death Behind'
Researchers have discovered a new species of box jellyfish, after analysing specimens that washed ashore on Sentosa Island in Singapore.
"The pain is said to be excruciating and victims may also experience paralysis, difficulty breathing and cardiac arrest..."
This fish looks like an ugly, warty rock and spends much of its time sitting completely motionless. But touching its venomous spines by accident can be lethal
It looks like a ridiculous, cartoon duck with a massive beak – and one type is so thin it has to have its anus right up by its throat...
This deep-sea eel looks like an awkward duck, has more vertebrae than any other creature and has a very lazy way of catching prey
“Sightings remain rare” of these threatened ocean giants. But scientists have hope
After being seriously impacted by whaling, blue and fin whale populations in the southeast Atlantic Ocean may be recovering
Yellow brick road found at bottom of the ocean stuns scientists...
Think the yellow brick road is fictional? Think again. It’s real and it can be found more than 1,000 metres deep in the ocean
Platypus doing "little zoomies" is the most adorable thing you'll see all day
Footage captured in Australia shows one of the world's most peculiar animals playing in a creek.
Epic 15,000km humpback whale journey breaks world record
A humpback that moved from Brazil to Australia, more than 15,000km away, has broken the world-record for the greatest distance between sightings of an individual.
