A seamount is an underwater mountain that rises at least 1,000 metres above the seafloor and is a biodiversity hotspot for unique and migratory marine life.

This 2-minute video shows you some of the life in a seamount and also looks at the growing threat to the creatures that live in such places.

Update:

The Greenpeace Seamounts Expedition is now underway, with the aim to document the life on seamounts and other deep sea habitats, and any damage to these areas caused by bottom trawling, then make a case for their protection.

The deep sea of Aotearoa and the South Pacific is home to a vast array of marine life that is crucial to ocean health. Much of this area is unstudied and unseen.

You can keep up-to-date with the expedition here.

Image: Deep Sea Conservation Coalition