12/25/23
12/20/23
MEET THE PEOPLE WHO ARE REBUILDING NEW YORK HARBOR BY ESTABLISHING OYSTER BEDS!
Once New York was called The Big Oyster, but people ate the oysters and soon enough, with a hundred years of dumping waste too into the water, there was no ecosystem of marine life in the harbor. This video is about the efforts to reestablish the humble oyster and how important it is to the ecosystem.
12/13/23
SHOULD WE BOYCOTT EATING FISH CAUGHT BY CHINESE OVER LABOR TRAFFICKING (SLAVERY)? I THINK SO!
Labor Trafficking means that people are tricked into or actually abducted to perform work without being paid, underpaid, or as slaves. This is a serious issue. And as much as I hate the idea that fisherman might loose their livelihood, I don't think anyone who thinks of slavery or labor trafficking as serious should be eating these fish.
According to this broadcast, frozen fish, most fish you eat at fast food restaurants, and fish you buy at certain named stores, probably has been fished by people who are being labor trafficked.
The investigation includes the fact that some of these people who are forced to labor are gone for a couple years at sea, their families do not know where they are, and they are desperately even sending messages in bottles to be freed.
PLEASE LISTEN TO THIS SPECIAL REPORT WHICH IS BREAKING NEWS TODAY and decide how you will protest! Contact the stores and restaurants and tell them what you think!
11/23/23
11/18/23
HEAL THE BAY BEACH CLEAN UPS include NOTHIN BUT SAND and SUITS ON THE SAND
It's more fun to clean the beach with a group - more like-minded people to meet.
But if you take away everything you took in every time, you are an ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST!
If you're reading this post from some other part of the United States or the world, check the Internet to find your closest beach, lake, or river clean up.
11/14/23
11/11/23
COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE - LEWIS OCEAN BAY PETITION
"We work to protect the health of the natural resources of the South Carolina coastal plain and ensure a high quality of life for all of the people who live in and love this special place.
11/8/23
11/5/23
OCEANS FUTURE SOCIETY - JEAN-MICHEL COUSTEAU
OUR MISSION is to explore our global ocean, inspiring and educating people throughout the world to act responsibly for is protection, documenting the critical connection between humanity and nature, and celebrating the ocean's vital importance to the survival of all life on our planet.
GO TO THE SITE and LISTEN to JEAN-MICHEAL COUSTEAU's TED TALK
11/2/23
SIERRA CLUB : FIVE ACTIVIST WHO ARE SAVING OUR OCEANS
SIERRA CLUB :FIVE ACTIVISTS WHO ARE SAVING OUR OCEANS
From 2016 read the profiles of five dynamic individuals and then go to the bottom where there are recent articles on sea urchins, kelp, seaweed, and krill.
Can Humanity Save Kelp by Eating the Problem Away?
10/30/23
IS THE NORTH ATLANTIC HEAT TRANSFER SHUTTING DOWN?
There is a "cold spot" area of the North Atlantic that processes heat.... In this video by PBS which I'm linking to, an explanation on how this works is given.
Entitled Is Earth's Largest Heat Transfer Really Shutting Down?
YOUTUBE : PBS TERRA : HEAT TRANSFER NORTH ATLANTIC
10/27/23
NEW YORK CITY - CONEY ISLAND -WCS AQUARIUM
Yes, this aquarium does pride itself on conservation. Here is what they have to say for themselves.
Through acoustic/satellite tagging and monitoring of several species of sharks and great whales in the New York seascape, we’re helping to guide and inform fisheries and management policies. We’re conducting long-term ecological monitoring and developing management plans for American eel and river herring as part of ongoing restoration of the Bronx River. We’re helping to secure the protection of critical habitat including the Hudson Canyon, an underwater marine marvel that rivals the Grand Canyon in scale and majesty. It’s home to an astonishing array of fish, marine mammals, invertebrates, and cold-water corals. This includes the development of the first national marine sanctuary in the mid-Atlantic. And our citizen science programs encourage the public to explore local beaches and waters, and contribute data to support marine biodiversity.
THE WCS NEW YORK AQUARIUM IS PART OF AN EFFORT TO SAVE WILDLIFE THAT BEGAN 120 YEARS AGO WITH THE CREATION OF THE NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY, AN ORGANIZATION FOUNDED ON SCIENCE AND HOPE WHICH HAS SINCE GROWN TO BECOME THE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY.
10/23/23
TED TALKS : OCEAN WONDERS : A WHOLE LOT OF MARINE BIOLOGIST TED TALKS ABOUT THE AMAZING OCEAN
I LOVE TED TALKS and finding this collection was thrilling. So many marine biologists, oceanographers, photographers.... pros!
Would you like to listen to A CORAL REEF LOVE STORY, or perhaps HOOKED BY AN OCTOPUS? or Underwater Astonishments?
TED TALKS : PLAYLIST OCEAN WONDERS
Maybe these will help you decide which ocean or sea life career you want to pursue!
10/20/23
GREATER ATLANTIC MARINE MAMMAL STRANDING NETWORK : HOW TO REPORT A STRANDED ANIMAL
NOAA FISHERIES GOV: GREATER ATLANTIC MARINE MAMMAL STRANDING NETWORK
Information: The Greater Atlantic Region Marine Mammal Stranding Network was created to provide a consistent framework in which to collect, compile, and share data about marine mammal strandings throughout the region, which extends from the Virginia/North Carolina border north to our border with Canada. The network is composed of state and federal wildlife and fisheries agencies, veterinary clinics, non-profit agencies, and academic institutions who respond to or provide professional advice on responding to strandings.
DEFINING WHAT A STRANDED ANIMAL IS : One that is dead on the beach or in the water or one that is alive on land and unable to return to the water and/or is in need of medical attention, or a live animal in the water that is unable to return to its natural habitat under its own power or without assistance....
(866) 755-6622
10/14/23
10/11/23
10/9/23
SEA LIFE TRUST - BELUGA WHALES, SEALS, and GLOBAL BEACH CLEAN UPS TO COMBAT THE SEA OF PLASTiCS
Global Conservation Projects
Cornish Seal Sanctuary
Beluga Whale Sanctuary
Global Beach Clean Up .....
SEA LIFE TRUST HAS A VISION OF A WORLD WHERE OCEANS ARE HEALTHY, PROPERLY PROTECTED and FULL OF DIVERSE LIFE. WE CHAMPION THE NEED FOR PLASTIC-FREE OCEANS AND OUT ANNUAL 24 HOUR GLOBAL BEACH CLEAN IS A FANTASTIC WAY TO SUPPORT THIS.
10/6/23
5000 SEA CREATURES NO ONE KNEW ABOUT and NOW THE THREAT OF DEEP SEA MINING
WASHINGTON POST - DEEP SEA MINING and 5000 SEA CREATURES NO ONE KNEW EXISTED
Excerpts: A new analysis of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, a vast mineral-rich area in the Pacific Ocean, estimates there are some 5000 sea animals completely new to science there. ............ There are bright, gummy creatures that look like partially peeled bananas. Glassy, translucent sponges that cling to the seabed like chandeliers flipped upside down. Phantasmic octopuses named, appropriately, after Casper the Friendly Ghost.
10/3/23
NEW ANTARTICA SEA CREATURE WITH TWENTY LEGS THAT LOOKS LIKE A STRAWBERRY AT FIRST GLANCE!
Excerpt: Antarctic feather stars are 'large' animals that can live anywhere from about 65 feet to about 6.500 feet underwater and have an 'otherworldly appearance' when swimming, researchers said. Although both are invertebrate ocean animals, feather stats are distinct from more well-known sea starts.
During their surveys, researchers collected eight feather stars with a distinctive body shape and discovered a new species: Promoachocrinus fragarius of the Antarctic Strawberry Feather Star...
Great photo and more information of the creature's colors and overall appearance!
10/1/23
OCEAN CONSERVATION - THE OCEAN - DEPENDENT PEOPLE MUST BE HEARD : UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI
MIAMI EDU : RESIDENTS MUST HAVE A VOICE IN OCEAN CONSERVATION
Excerpt: The tropics are a biodiversity storehouse, and the majority of people who are directly ocean-dependent live there," sad Daniel Suman, a professor of environmental science and policy at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science. "Those residents can be described as the 'tropical majority,' Yet, the laws and policies that affect the oceans and waterways in their countries are often made by international organizations, international financial institutions like the World Bank, and global environmental groups in richer countries located in temperate zones." ...
Suman and Rosenstiel School biological oceanographer Claire B. Paris-Limouzy are two of 25 authors - 80 percent of whom call the tropics home ad three of whom are University of Miami alumni - who recently published a paper in the journal Ocean Sustainability that calls on policymakers to address inequities in ocean science and governance.
9/27/23
RIC O'BARRY'S DOLPHIN PROJECT - ORCAS IN CAPTIVITY - 60 in THE WORLD : LOLITA - TOKITAE DEAD
Lolita is dead after a half century in captivity, which caused me to search for Whales in Captivity.
Excerpt:
Many captive orcas were born and bred in captivity, but this was not always the case. Beginning the in the 1960's, orcas have been caught for entertainment display. One of the most infamous was the mass capture in Penn Cove, Washington. On August 8, 1970, a total of seven whales were taken fromL pod (one of the resident orca pods), while 5 died in the process. Among the captures, Lolita (Tokitae) is the last remaining survivor.
At least 160 0rcas have died in captivity... Keep Reading!
***
Siren here. I have mixed feeling about animals such as whales, dolphins, and other sea creatures in aquariums and the like. My feeling is that if it were not for the zoo, as a child living in-land, I might not have been aware of sea lions... and I do go to aquariums. But even the largest tanks cannot provide a natural life for these creatures. It seems many of them go crazy or live perhaps shorter lives than they would in the wild. Yet in the wild they also face being eaten or killed. What kills the larger creatures the most is ships - container ships - sailing vessels.
9/23/23
ALBERT OF MONACO and the MONACO DECLARATION : INSTITUTE OCEONOGRAPHIQUE
THE MONACO DECLARATION
In January 2009. HSH Prince Albert II wanted to draw the attention of decision-makers to the acidificiation of the oceans, the other crisis emerging from CO2 emissions together with climate change, with the two effect working together to upset the balance of the oceans. He supported an initiative from over 150 major names in marine science, from 26 countries, to sound the alarm via the "Monaco Declaration."
OCEONO ORG - PRINCE ALBERT - MONACO DECLARATION
Siren here: I've been meaning to include Prince Albert and his organization in this blog for such a long time!
OACIS - PRINCE ALBERTS FOUNDATION Ocean Acidificiation and other ocean Changes - Impacts and Solutions.
9/21/23
TOFU JOE'S COLLECTION OF SEA MONSTERS and LEGENDS
These sea monster illustrations are courtesy of
(1551-1558)
9/19/23
WHAT DEEP SEA CREATURE IS PINK AND CAN LIVE 70 YEARS?
MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM : SEA PIGS
Excerpt: Tiptoeing over the deep seafloor, a sea pig searches for a meal. The tentacles around its mouth probe the mud for treats - bits of dead animals poop and mucus. ... The sea pig spends its days snuffling through the muddy sediments on the seafloor, eating bits of dead algae and animals that have fallen from the surface When something big, like a whale fall, sinks to the seafloor, huge herds of sea pigs gather nearby to feast on the rich organic sediments from the decaying carcass.
9/16/23
9/14/23
9/10/23
WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTE : GLASS SQUID
WOODS HOLE CREATURE FEATURES GLASS SQUID
Excerpt from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute Creature Feature page.
Glass squid - specifically, Chranchia scabra - get a rough reputation because of the small tubercles dotting their bodies (also called their 'mantle"). If they sense danger, this squid can transform into a lumpy ball by stuffing its bulbous head and tentacles into this mantle cavity. They're also able to 'go dark' by instantly changing the color of their skin to black. Scientists have noticed that glass squid release ink into their mantle when threatened, which may help them change color, or could act as a chemical weapon against hungry whales and seabirds.
Shape-shifting and camouflage aren't the only cool tricks up the glass squid's tentacles. Light-emitting organs, or photophores, around their eyes help them see in the dark and scare away predators. Females also sport photophores on the tips of their arms, which may be useful for attracting mates.
9/7/23
BLUE BIOLUMINESCENCE - INCOMING WAVES AT NIGHT NOW - LONG BEACH - SUNSET BEACH
PRESS TELEGRAM - WAVES GLOWING BLUE WITH BIOLUMINESCENCE waves from San Diego to Oxnard - great photos!
Excerpt:
The bioluminescent waves are caused by a dinoflagellate algae that that turns the ocean red during the day, but glows when agitated at night. Though the presence of a red tide can give a clue to when the glowing algae may show up at night, but they are highly uynpredictable and touch to find as wind, currents, and
9/5/23
MARINE MAMMAL STRANDING CENTER - ATLANTIC OCEAN : SEA MAMMALS and SEA TURTLES HEALED and RETURNED TO SEA : BEACHED WHALE INVESTIGATIONS
MARINE MAMMAL STRANDING CENTER Dedicated to responding to marine mammals and sea turtles along all of New Jersey's waterways... When an animal cannot be released, it is kept at the facility and given a place to live.
***
Excerpt: MMSC's Large Whale and Dolphin Response.
The Marine Mammal Stranding Center continues to be on the front line as the first responders during the recent increase in whale strandings that began in December 2022. As a member of the Greater Atlantic Marine Mammal Stranding Network, we are the boots on the ground working together with or fellow network members to help find the answers. The work that we perform is the first step in many that will bring us closer to understanding why we are seeing so may whale standings along the East Coast.
9/2/23
MARINE MAMMAL CENTER - SAUCILITO : WORLDS LARGEST MAMMAL HOSPITAL JUST NORTH OF THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE
MARINE MAMMAL CENTER : SAUCILITO
This one requires tickets that are free but must be reserved on line to control the numbers of people coming through to watch what happens behind the scenes.
Patients are seasonal... During pupping season there are usually elephant seal and California sea lion pups. Harbor seal pups are not on view due to their sensitivity to human's except on behind the scenes tours.
8/30/23
MORE THAN 200 SHIPS MAKE UP AMERICA's LARGEST GHOST FLEET and THE MALLOWS BAY - POTOMAC NATURE PRESERVE - BIOBLITZ SEPTEMBER 9th
DAILY MAIL : SUNKEN GHOST FLEET
In 2019, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration designated the area a national marine sanctuary. All but one of the ships were built of wood. Most were used in World War I. As sediment built up, some of the sunken ships became places where trees and bushes took root. A fresh water environment, both marine life and birds find a place called home.
Sept 9th - coming up, Mallows Bay is hosting a BioBlitz, so the public can volunteer to help identify the species that call Mallows Bay home. Research on the ecology of the area is ongoing.
INFORMATION ON THE BIOBLITZ for Citizen Scientists
8/27/23
KELP FORESTS : PARTNERSHIP FOR INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES OF COASTAL OCEANS (PISCO) FOUR CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITIES INVOLVED IN LONG TERM RESEARCH
Excerpts: Much of the extraordinary production of kelp falls to the ocean floor, like leaf litter in terrestrial forests. There, it either remains to support productive and species rich detritus-based forest food webs, or is exported by currents to adjacent ecosystems where it fuels food webs on sandy beaches, deep rocky reefs or submarine canyons. Among the many species that inhabit kelp forests are a wide variety of economically important species such as sea urchins, abalone, lobster, sea cucumbers, rockfishes and other finishes, as well as s endangered species including abalone and southern sea otters. The kept itself is harvested to feed abalone in aquaculture facilities and for use in a number of human products. The forests also support economically important eco-tourism, including kayaking, bird and marine mammal watching and scuba diving.
_____________
PISCO was established in 1999 by scientists from four core campuses, Oregon State University, Stanford University Hopkins Marine Station, University of California, Santa Cruz, University of Clarify Santa Barbara.
8/21/23
MIAMI SEA AQUARIUM's ORCA TOKITAE DEAD : THEY THOUGHT TO RETURN HER TO THE OCEAN BUT SHE DIED BEFORE SHE COULD GO BACK TO THE PACIFIC AND SEATTLE
THE GUARDIAN : ORCA DEAD After half a century in captivity, Tokitae the performing orca could finally go home WELL SHE DIED BEFORE THEY COULD THROW HER BACK IN THE OCEAN....
SEATTLE TIMES : TOKITAE DEAD See her performing in the photo.
She was one of very many whales that were captured with the desire to make them into performers. Many of them died in the capture....
8/18/23
GRAVITY HOLE IN THE INDIAN OCEAN?
THE WEEK : ENVIRONMENT: INDIAN OCEAN GRAVITY HOLE
Excerpt: The Earth s basically a lumpy potato and not a sphere, study co-author Attreyeee Ghosh told CNN. Therefore, gravity is distributed unevenly around the planet. "If you pour water on the surface of the Earth, the level that the water takes is called a geoid." determined by density differences under the surface o the Earth. The "gravity hole" in the Indian Ocean is the "biggest low" in the geoid, Ghosh continued.
(Will the gravity hole disappear?"
8/16/23
MERMAID PAPER DOLL : CUT OUT and THEN FASHION YOUR OWN CLOTHING DESIGNS FOR THE DOLL!
CAN YOU CREATE YOUR OWN CLOTHING FOR THIS MERMAID?
8/13/23
8/11/23
AMERICAN OCEAN'S GUIDE TO SEA SNAKES
AMERICAN OCEANS : SEA SNAKES GUIDE
The American Oceans Campaign is dedicated primarily to the RESTORATION, PROTECTION, and PRESERVATION of the health ad vitality of coastal waters, estuaries, bays, wetlands, and oceans.
This site is like a mini encyclopedia of sea snakes~
8/9/23
SEA SNAKES OF THE GREAT BARRIER REEF : JONATHAN BIRD'S BLUE WORLD
Sea Snakes venom is potent, stronger than land snake venom. 62 species of sea snakes live in the Pacific in warm water. They are almost no threat to people. They use the venom to stun their prey.
8/7/23
8/5/23
WAIKIKI AQUARIUM ! GIANT CLAMS CORAL FARMS : OCEAN AQUACULTURE THE PACIFIC SIX FINGERED THREAD FIN
WAIKIKI AQUARIUM ORG : EXPERIENCE
In all the years that I've been blogging I have never heard the term OCEAN AQUACULTURE!
Check out the exhibit for the PACIFIC SIX FINGERED THREAD FIN. (Locally called Moi which was once bread exclusively for Hawaiian Royalty.)
8/2/23
LEAVE TIDE POOLS ALONE and TAKE THAT TRASH WITH YOU
Visiting a tide pool recently, I was so upset to see a mother directing her two children to pick sea creatures from between the rocks and put them in plastic buckets. Even if they have some sort of home aquarium set up, these people were ignorant that a TIDE POOL NEEDS TO BE LEFT ALONE. It is an ECOSYSTEM and by removing any creature, they are upsetting that ecosystem.
PLEASE TAKE PHOTOS ONLY when you go to a tide pool!
7/31/23
PACIFIC MARINE MAMMAL CARE CENTER : PINNIPED HOSPITAL IN LAGUNA BEACH, CALIFORNIA
PACIFIC MMC ORG : CALL IF YOU SEE A SICK SEA LION Located in Laguna Beach, Southern California.
If you see an animal who is ill, perhaps showing signs of the recent algea bloom toxicity, do not push them back into the water or get near them.
According to PMMC the most common Pinnipeds to Southern California are Northern elephant seals, Pacific harbor seals, and California sea lions. Occasionally, the treat Northern fur seals. PMMC is also the only temporary holding facilities for small whales and dolphins between Santa Barbara and San Diego.
7/30/23
7/28/23
SEA TURTLES CAN TALK! GABRIEL JORGEWICH-COHEN'S RESEARCH PROVES IT and THE ORIGIN OF VOCALIZATION IN ANIMALS
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN : CHATTY TURTLES and THE EVOLUTION OF ANIMAL VOCALIZATION
Listen to the clicks and grunts at this link.
Excerpt: Gabriel Jorgewich-Cohen: I did fieldwork in the Brazilian Amazon with a researcher that published one of these first papers showing that turtles can communicate acoustically, and that inspired me. So I went back home, and I got a piece of equipment, and I started recording my own pets. And I discovered that they were producing sounds as well, and the species I had were not known to produce sounds......
7/26/23
INTERNATIONAL SAVE THE MANGROVES DAY : CONSERVE THE MANGROVE ECOSYSTEM !
UNESCO MANGROVE ECOSYSTEM CONSERVATION JULY 26th is TODAY!
Excerpt: Mangroves are rare, spectacular and prolific ecosystems on the boundary between land and sea. These extra ordinary ecosystems contribute to the well-being, food security, and protection of coastal communities worldwide. They support a rich biodiversity and provide a valuable nursery habitat for fish and crustaceans. Mangroves also act as a form of natural coastal defense against storm surges, tsunamis, rising sea levels and erosion Their soils are highly effective carbon sinks sequestering vast amounts of carbon.
7/25/23
7/22/23
NATURE CONSERVANCY : SEA TURTLE PROTECTION IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN
NATURE CONVERVACY : SEA TURTLE CAMPAIGN - PACIFIC OCEAN
The Mystery of sea turtle migration makes it difficult to save them. Human's using their shells when they could do without add to the problem. And sea turtles choke on plastic and got caught in nets.
Where do they go?
7/18/23
LOOK UP SEA TURTLES at the SEA TURTLE CONSERVANCY ! WHY IS THE KEMP RIDLEY SEA TURTLE CLOSE TO EXTINCTION?
SEA TURTLE CONSERVANCY : KEMP RIDLEY SEA TURTLE PAGE
Excerpt: STATUS: U.S: Listed as Endangered (in danger of extinction within the foreseeable future) in 1970 under the U.S. Endangered Species Conservation Act, the predecessor to the U.S. Endangered Species Act, which was established in 1973. INTERNATIONAL - Listed as Critically Endangered (facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. \
THREATS TO SURVIVAL : The greatest threat to the Kemp's ridley is from human use activities including collection of eggs and killing adults and juveniles for meat and other products. The significant decline in the number of Kemp's ridley nests was a result of high levels of incidental take by shrimp trawlers.
7/16/23
RARE SEA TURTLE LAYS 84 EGGS ON BEACH IN TEXAS: GALVESTON ISLAND STATE PARK : KEMPS RIDLEY SEA TURLE
HOUSTON CHRONICAL : RIDLEY SEA TURTLE WORLDS RAREST TURTLE LAYS EGGS
For the second year in a row, a female Kemps Ridley sea turtle, the smallest of sea turtles that is critically endangered, showed up on a beach at Galveston Island State beach ad laid eggs. The turtle laying eggs was spotted by a volunteer who works with the Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research which is associated with Texas A and M University. Sea turtles usually leave the eggs and go back to sea. The eggs were collected and taken to Padre Island National Seashore for hatching and release.
7/14/23
CORAL WORLD AQUARIUM in ISRAEL : WHAT"S UNDERWATER IN THE RED SEA? SAVE THE RED SEA and the CORALS
CORAL WORLD AQUARIUM - EILAT ISRAEL
Excerpt:
We are dedicated to inspiring a true connection with nature, and to shed light on contemporary environmental issues in the sea, from overfishing to coral reef damage, in order to promote sustainability.
We put the welfare of the animals as our priority and the Park’s professional scientific team is engaged in constant research.
We have breeding programs of marine life, such as coral propagation which reduces the stress involved when sourcing organisms from the sea. We also rehabilitate and assist in encouraging reproduction of other marine animals such as turtles, seahorses, butterfly fish and anemones.
7/11/23
AT LEAST 500 SEA LIONS and 100 DOLFINS DEAD FROM PACIFIC COAST TOXIC ALGAE BLOOM
Excerpt: There is no antidote or specific remedy for domoic acid poisoning Veterinarians have been giving some animals antiseizure medicine and keeping them hydrated in hopes that the toxins will flush out of their bodies. The problem is that the longer the toxins are in an animal's system, the more difficult it becomes to treat the poisoning.
7/10/23
7/5/23
7/3/23
WHAT IS A RIPTIDE and HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM UNDERTOW? 6000 WAVES A DAY BREAKON A BEACH....
You go to the beach and you see warning signs about the conditions... Have you been sucked under?
***
This article explains the three types of dangerous tides or tows that can drag you out or under...
Excerpt: Every day, some 6.000 waves break on a given beach.
The broken wave pushes water up the beach, and gravity pulls the water back down the beach as a backwash.
When big waves break on the beach, a large uprush and backwash of water and sand are generated: this seaward-flowing water/sand mixture is pulled strongly into the next breaking wave...
7/1/23
6/29/23
MALE SEA LIONS HAVE GOTTEN BIGGER OVER THE LAST FIFTY YEARS! UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA MARINE SCIENCE
Usually as a population grows, the sea lions get smaller. However just published in Current Biology, is a report from University of California at Santa Cruz.
Excerpt: It's counterintuitive. You would expect that their body size would decrease as dietary resource competition intensified," said coauthor Paul Koch, professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at UCSC.
The number of California sea lions has increased dramatically since the Marine Mammal Protection Act was passed in 1972. In parts of their range, the sea lions may now be approaching the ecological "carrying capacity," the largest number of animals an ecosystem can support.
NEWS-UCSC EDU : 2024 SEA LIONS
Excerpt: "We found that the male California sea lions have expanded their ecological niche, which means they are now foraging on a more diversified group of prey and expanding the places where they are foraging on a more diversified group ogf prey and expanding the places where they are foraging," Valenzuela-Toro said. "Apparently they are now going farther north than they used to.....
**** Scientists looked at the skulls of sea lions...
6/26/23
STINGRAY is a BATOID - CAL STATE LONGBEACH SHARK LAB
CSULB SHARK LAB- STINGRAY BEHAVIOR and BIOLOGY
Excerpts: Most batoids spend their time resting on the seafloor with their mouths and gills on the bottom and their eyes and spiracles (snorkel opening for breathing) on top of their heads. Spiracles allow them to draw in clean water across their gills so they can breath while laying on the bottom.
6/23/23
HERMIT CRABS : HIDING OUT IN SOMEONE ELSE'S SHELL
CHESAPEAKE BAY - HERMIT CRABS Watch a hermit crab change borrowed shells...
Three species of hermit crabs are native to the Bay...
What do all hermit crabs have in common?
Hermit crabs eat algae, detritus, and tiny particles of this and that.
What eats them?
6/21/23
PACIFIC CORAL REEFS from the UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Excerpts;
Coral reefs are unique ecosystems of plants, animals, and their associated geological framework. Although they cover less that 0.5 of Earth's surface, coral reefs are home to an estimated 25% of all marine species. Of the total coral reef habitat in the United States waters, about 75% or more than 16,000 square kilometers (6,000 square miles) is located in the Pacific Ocean.
***
This site has hard science and wonderful photos of coral reef ecosystems... See what healthy coral looks like!
6/19/23
FLORIDA CORAL RESCUE PROJECT ! SPECIES DIED OFF? STONY CORAL TISSUE LOSS DISEASE
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission - FLORIDA CORAL RESUE
An unprecedented coral disease event has ravaged Florida's reefs since 2014, causing mortalityin more than 20 Caribbean coral species. The disease, known as stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) began near Miami, Florida, and has since spread through the northern extent of Florida's Coral Reef in Martin County, sound through the Florida Keys, west into the Marguesas, and is currently just inside the boundary of the Dry Tortugas National Park.....
6/15/23
SEA SHELL FRAME
What do you imagine is beyond the frame?
These days shells should only be personally collected from beaches, if at all. They too are sea creatures that are being removed from their place in the ecology of the oceans.
6/12/23
HENRY DOORLY ZOO and AQUARIUM in OMAHA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U78AjU7FfTQ
Sharks, Turtles, Giant Spider Crab, Sea Starfish, Reef Aquariums and Jellyfish.
6/8/23
6/5/23
6/1/23
5/13/23
4/27/23
300 YEAR OLD MERMAID MUMMY IN JAPAN REVEALED TO BE A FAKE BY SCIENTISTS
ARKEONEWS - 300 YEAR OLD MERMAID MUMMY
Explore this mystery!
Excerpt: In Japan, there is a legend that the 300 year old mummified mermaid will grant immortality to anyone who eats its flesh. The mysterious object has been on display for four decades at the Enjuin Temple in Asakuchi.
The 12-inch creature was allegedly caught in the Pacific Ocean, off the Japanese island of Shikoku, between 1736 and 1741.
4/25/23
SEA PEN SHAPED LIKE A SAXAPHONE FOUND IN SYDNEY AUSTRALIA HARBOR - IT GLOWS WITH BIOLUMINESCENCE and is COVERED IN SLIME!
Gotta see those photos!
DAILY MAIL : SEA PEN THAT LOOKS LIKE SAXAPHONE
Excerpt: Australian Museum's marine invertebrates head Professor Shane Ahyong confirmed what type of creature it was.
'They are relatively common in the eastern part of the harbour, well below the tideline, and so are sually only seen by snorkelers and divers,' Dr. Ahyong told Yahoo.
The sea pen in question had notable bumps on the bottom of it and a long stalk, with the way it was laid on cement in the photo closely resembling a saxophone's shape.
4/22/23
TIDEPOOLS are SEABED HABITATS
Seabed habitats has a seminar series. Learn more about this important and essential aspect of the oceans - the tidepools that are near beaches and seacliffs, many of which have been wiped out in port and marina building.
4/20/23
BOATING INTERNATIONAL FEATURES NEW INVENTIONS TO CLEAN UP THE SEA OF PLASTIC
I'm trying to be fair here, but so much of the plastic and other litter on cruise ships and other big boats is in the sea because they dump it out there rather than haul it back to shore and pay for the pick up and deposit in a land dump. DON'T THROW IT IN THE OCEAN IN THE FIRST PLACE!
BOATING INTERNATIONAL on NEW PLASTIC RETRIEVAL INVENTIONS
These huge sea vehicles are also hitting into the sea life that can't get out of their way fast enough.
We get it that many people get into boating because they love the sea, but humans cannot exist in the water for long and are designed for land...
4/17/23
WHALES ORG TELLS YOU ABOUT THE FOURTEEN SPECIES OF BALEEN FEEDING WHALES
WHAT IS BALEEN? WHAT WHALES FEED THIS WAY?
CLUE : THEY HAVE TWO BLOW HOLES on the tops of their heads NOT JUST ONE!
Excerpts: ... baleen whales have baleen instead of teeth, which they use to collect shrimp-like krill, plankton, and small fish from the sea. These bristly baleen plates filter, sift, sieve, or trap the whales' favorite prey from seawater inside their mouths. Baleen is made out of keratin, the same protein that makes up our fingernails and hair. The baleen of the bowhead whale can be 4 metres long...
.... Some baleen whales including the humpback, minke, fin and blue, have clearly visible throat grooves which allow their mouths and throats to expand and balloon out as they gulp monstrous-sized mouthfuls of seawater and food...
4/15/23
4/10/23
MASSIVE WHALE BUT IS THE ILLUSTRATION CORRECT OR A FANTASY?
This appears to be from the 1800's when whaling for oil, blubber, meat, and bones, was at an all time high. That eye looks to be rather human. It was probably so drawn to show sailors and hunters what to expect when they met one of these whales eye to eye.
4/7/23
BEACH ECOLOGY IS OCEAN ECOLOGY!
BEACH ECOLOGY IS OCEAN ECOLOGY!
Remember to take home anything you brought with you - towels, flip flops, food, cans.. sunscreen and tanning oils... because if you leave it on the beach it's probably going to end up in the ocean and endanger the natural environment of the ocean, lake, or river.
But also remember to leave what belongs to nature - the earth - right where it is. Do not take sea creatures from tidepools!
Just take photos!
4/3/23
NOAA SPOTLIGHTS THE RIGHT WHALE - BALEEN FEEDING WHALES NOSHING ON MICROORGANISMS IN THE SEA
There may only be 400 of these whales left alive...
4/1/23
WHAT OCEANS ARE SHOWN ON THIS WATERY GLOBE?
Maps that are sold in a country tend to show that country as the center of the earth, but globes are more democratic in their representation of the earth. Still, the earth is not perfectly round.
3/28/23
THE NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE on RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES
CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVESITY ; RIGHT WHALES ENDANGERED
Excerpt: The North Atlantic Right Whales is one of the world's most endangered whales. Once common along the eastern U.S. seaboard, the whale was hunted to near extinction by the 1750's. While no longer pursued for its oil, meat and bones, these whales continue to be the victim of ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear, which can result in protracted, painful deaths. Right whales are declining so quickly that they may be functionally extinct by 2040 if more isn't done to save them.
In it's 2020 update of it's "Red List of Threatened Species," the International Union for Conservation of Nature declared North Atlantic right whales "critically endangered," the most serious category of risk, with only about 400 animals left and fewer than 250 adults. ........
3/24/23
MARTHA'S VINEYARD NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE SIGHTINGS : BOATS ORDERED TO SLOW DOWN TO TEN KNOTS
MARTHA'S VINYARD TIMES ; RIGHT WHALE SIGHTINGS
Excerpt:
An aerial survey team from the New England Aquarium has detected a number of North Atlantic Right Whales south of Martha's Vineyard, prompting the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to enact 'slow zones' for marine vessels in the area.
According to an aerial survey report by the New England Aquarium, 10 general survey tracklines detected 14 Right Whales, in pods of varying sizes, on Friday, March 10.
"North Atlantic Right Whales are on the move along the Atlantic coast off the U.S. If seen, remember that approaching a right whale closer than 500 yards is a violation of federal and state law," NOAA stated in a press release issued Monday. "Right whales are protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and scientists estimate there are fewer than 350 whales remaining.
3/21/23
TWENTY THREE RECENT EAST COAST WHALE DEATHS SPARK ALARM : SHIP STRIKES KILLING MINKE, HUMPBACK, and NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALES
NEW YORK TIMES - 23 RECENT EAST COAST WHALE DEATHS
These whales have washed ashore in recent weeks. North Atlantic Right Whale - critically endangered. Minke whale. Humpback whale. Could it be that we just have to order things on line that are exported by other countries, rather than buying American made products and produce grown in the U.S. so that more ships are coming in and colliding with whales.
Well, my priority is not to buy anything from another country without an exhaustive search for MADE IN THE U.S.A. because most of the things you see for sale we really do not need.
Also windfarms offshore may be a problem for sea life.
BUT THERE IS ANOTHER ENVIRONMENTAL FACTOR
Excerpt: The population of humpbacks, hunted legally until 1985, has rebounded, thanks in part to decades of efforts to clean the Atlantic Ocean and heavily polluted tributaries like the Hudson River. As the climate changes and oceans warm, whales and favored prey, menhaden, are migrating and feeding in new locations, often closer to shore.
3/19/23
CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY SUES OVER U.S. FAILURE TO PROTECT ENDANGERED HUMP BACK WHALES
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICAL: U.S. FAILING TO PROTECT ENDANGERED SPECIES - HUMPBACK WHALES by Bob Egelko
Excerpt: the law gives the highest priority to protecting species "whose level of iincidental mortality and serious injury exceeds the potential biological removal level, those that have a small population size, and those which are declining most rapidly," the judge wrote. He said such measures are required for commercial fisheries whose activity causes serious injury or death to marine mammals, a description that "fits to the tee the ESA (Endangered Species Act) listed humpback whales and pot fishery here."
3/17/23
TERRIBLY INJURED HUMPBACK WHALE
Excerpt:
The whale, BCX1232, also called Moon, was spotted recently off the Kona coast by the crew of the Hawaiian Adventures Kona.
When she was sighted in B.C. waters, experts said she would likely not make it to the warmer Hawaii ocean due to her severe spinal injury. However, she made the more than 4,000-mile migration once again.
Now, experts are very worried about her condition, which they believe was the result of a ship strike.
3/15/23
HELLO and WELCOME BACK TO MY BLOG
The reason you have not seen posts here is because Google blocked me from my own long held account, which is used ONLY for this blog and no outside communications, simply because I changed computer use.
Frankly, I have sent Google messages letting them know that they are making using Google a much less than a friendly experience.
I continue to be highly interested in sea life, ocean ecology, and all the subjects I've presented to you here at SIREN'S LINK TO SEA for many years.
Yours,
Siren
2/14/23
2/12/23
2/7/23
DRAW A PIRATE or TWO or MORE!
This comes from Graphic's Fairy, one of the image resources I use here at SIRENS LINK TO SEA!
HERE IS WHAT THE PIRATE CAN LOOK LIKE WHEN YOU ARE DONE! REMEMBER THAT THERE WERE FEMALE PIRATES TOO! YOU CAN DRESS THEM ANY WAY YOU LIKE!
1/29/23
1/25/23
DID YOU KNOW THAT OCEAN DOLPHINS DO NOT LIKE FRESH WATER?
Dolphins will enter rivers that feed into the salty ocean but usually turn back where the fresh water and salt water meet, so they are not in LAKES, not even the GREAT LAKES...
OCEAN DOLPHIN SKIN NEEDS THE SALT WATER TO STAY HEALTHY...
but, it might have something to do also with the kinds of fish they like to eat.
Reports that dolphins were returning to Lake Erie were false,
1/21/23
HUMPBACK DOLPHINS BRING PEOPLE GIFTS TO EXCHANGE FOR FISH!
INVERSE: DOLPHIN GIFT GIVING BEHAVIOR EXPLAINED by Nina Pullano....
Dolphins are bringing gifts like coral and chains and rocks with barnacles hoping people will feed them... How do they know that people will like these special items? A Phd candidate says they don't miss people, just the food! In the past scientist have learned that male dolphins like to gift female dolphins with such things such as sea sponges.
1/17/23
1/14/23
HOW DOLPHINS HUNT AND FEED - NAVY SCIENTISTS ATTACHED A CAMERA : IT WASN'T PRETTY
DAILY BEAST : FOOTAGE OF FISH BEING HUNTED AND EATEN BY DOLPHINS by Mattie Bender
THEY ENJOY EVERY MINUTE OF EATING FISH...
"Squeals continued as the dolphin seized, manipulated and swallowed the prey. If fish escaped, the dolphin continued the chase and sonar clicks were heard less often than the continuous terminal buzz and squeal. During captures, the dolphin's lips flared to reveal nearly all of the teeth. The throat expanded outward. Fish continued escape swimming even as they entered the dolphin's mouth, yet the dolphin appeared to such the fish right down."
1/11/23
1/1/23
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