PHOTO: SHARIF SARWAR

BUNNIES OF THE SEA … Spotted around 7-8ft under the Bay of Bengal in Saint Martin’s Island, this is a sea bunny slug, scientifically known as Jorunna parva. Found mainly across the Indo-Pacific region, these tiny, shell-less molluscs are termed the “cutest” sea creatures. However, they’re a threat to predators due to high toxicity, which comes from some of the food they consume – such as toxic sea sponges. Their fuzzy “rabbit ears”, for which they get their name, are actually sensory organs -- rhinophores -- that help them detect food and potential mates. They are, however, hermaphrodites -- with both male and female genitalia. So, they can be a mother to one offspring and father to another. Sea bunnies are vital for ocean health, as they consume algae and control its growth in their habitats. But habitat loss, overfishing and climate change still threaten their populations.