The snorkeling marine environment consists of either salt water, fresh water or brack water. The environment which is most associated with snorkeling is the salt water environment. The salt water oceans of our world are host to a myriad of marine life. From the microscopic protozoa to one of the largest creatures on this planet; the Sperm Whale. The ocean is their home, their grocery store, their playground and their job. It is where they mate, bear their young and where they die. The ocean environment can actually be called a world within a world. As humans, we rarely see more than just the surface unless it it is on television or in movies. As a snorkeler you are one of the priveleged few who get to see this miraculous other world, live and in person.

Of the three environments, the Ocean is home to the most diverse and colorful marine life and some locations also have some species which are indigenous to that particular location. To try and even attempt to cover all of the marine life in the ocean in this article would have you reading for years. This article will however give you some generalizations on the marine life the and interesting facts and behaviours of some species that you, as a snorkeler, may see in all three of the environments listed.

One thing that should be noted with respect to all aquatic marine life is that they have survived through the eons by developing some form of defense. The defenses can include camophlage, barbs, teeth, stingers, bristles and toxins.

I am one who does not believe in putting human characteristics to any animals whether they are domesticated or wild. I feel that those that do put human characteristics to animals are the ones most likely to end up being unpleasantly surprised if not injured. My general rule of thumb which I discuss with my snorkeling buddy beforehand is that I will allow them to touch whatever they want and if they live through it, I will let them touch it once more just to be sure.

The closest I will come to putting any human characteristic to any aquatic marine life is that they probably don't get into a huddle together every time they see a snorkeler to decide how they can harass them.

In reality, touching any marine life in the water can actually have devastating consequences to the marine animal itself. Most fish have a slimy coating on them which actually acts as a protectant against parasites in the water. If this coating is compromised there is a good chance that the fish will be exposed to bacteria and parasites which may eventually lead to it's death. The same is true with many corals. Many official snorkeling areas are in protected marine reserves which strictly prohibit the touching the marine life. Most injuries to snorkelers are usually due to snorkeler error rather than the marine life actually seeking to cause injury.

The greater concentrations of marine life can be found on coral reefs. Many think that the actual reef itself is non living entity. This belief is quite the opposite of the actual truth. Coral itself is a marine animal. It eats; digests and expells. It bears young, lives and dies. It is in it's death where one could make the mistaken assumption that coral is not a living animal. When coral dies it makes the landscape look barren and rocky. Eventually the barren spots get covered by younger coral which continues the cycle. As the cycle repeats itself, the skeletal remains provide a new home for more coral. Which in turn continue the same pattern of existance. Each layer is built upon by another layer until eons later we we have what we call a reef.

The reef provides a shelter and home to more mobile marine animals which share in a symbiotic relationship that has been repeated longer than written history. If reefs could talk what tales they could tell.