Over 100,000 cuttlefish gather in Australia yearly; fewer than 10 arrived in 2026, baffling scientists

Giant Australian cuttlefish at Point Lowly faced a drastic population plunge in 2026, with researchers noting less than ten cuttlefish spotted per dive, a historic low. The downturn is potentially tied to an algal bloom in South Australia, which may have adversely affected the cuttlefish or diminished their food availability. Conservation initiatives and a tourism moratorium have been established to facilitate a revival of the cuttlefish numbers.