Kelp is a giant type of seaweed that grows in the cold, shallow parts of the ocean, and it is one of the fastest-growing living things on the whole planet! Some kelp can grow up to two feet in just one single day, which is about as tall as a ruler. Giant kelp can reach over 150 feet long, stretching from the rocky bottom of the sea all the way up to the sunny surface, making it taller than a ten-story building! Kelp has little air-filled bubbles called “bladders” on its long leaf-like blades that work like tiny floaties to help it reach toward the sunlight.
Kelp forms amazing underwater forests that are home to thousands of different sea creatures, from tiny snails to great big sharks! Sea otters love kelp forests so much that they wrap themselves in the kelp before they take naps so they don’t float away while they sleep. Fish, sea urchins, crabs, and even seals all depend on kelp forests for food and shelter. People use kelp too; it is found in some ice cream, toothpaste, and shampoo to help make them smooth and creamy. Scientists say kelp forests are really important for our planet because they help clean the air and keep the ocean healthy!