Still after 21 years oil is affecting the waters in Prince William Sound. Now studies are being done by an international team using the biomarker CYP1A to measure exposure to oil in wildlife populations. On disturbing fact is the length of time in which animals had been exposed to residual oil. This study was mainly focuses on the harlequin duck, because it is one that lives in inter-tidal areas and encounters and ingests the oil residues daily with their feeding. These ducks are sensitive to oil pollution as well as other animals, but their diets mainly consist of invertebrates that live in the areas encrusted with oil and have little to no time to metabolize residual oil before being eaten again by their consumers. This study proves that residual oils are not limited to a few years after spills but instead stay with some vulnerable species over decades.
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When will the oil stop effecting creatures in related areas?
How many years does it take for oil to naturally dissolve?
Spiny lobster fishing is encountering its first ever ban of fishing in Central America. During their reproduction season as a hope that their population raises. The lobsters happen to be the most important and biggest income source for the coastal communities especially when it comes to market prices. This fishery has been the backbone of the industry for over 100 years, but recently catches have worried both the government and fishermen. By banning the fishing it is an important step for production of the most valuable resource in the region and an obvious sign of the communities commitment towards reviving their livelihood.
What makes this industry the most important and profitable?
When will the lobster fishing begin again?
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An ancient mystery has seemed to relive itself in the present. The oarfish is a deep-sea fish that can grow to be 15 meters long and are rarely seen. Almost nothing is known about these majestic creatures. No one has the knowledge of where they spawn or grow but it is known that they live at about 1000 meters deep in the ocean. It is said that ancient Japanese people have a belief that these fish warned of disasters such as earthquakes and are only seen before one occurs. So far them showing up has proved that earthquakes were to come, and since they came five known devastating earthquakes have occurred.
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Is this just a coincidence that they appeared before the earthquakes or do they really sense it?
Why are there not more efforts made to study these fish?
Nautilus, squid, cuttlefish and octopus all belong to the cephalopod class. With much more developed heads and sensory structures and also much more advanced locomotor systems then their close relative the slugs. Also known to some as the most advanced invertebrates, with eyes evolved towards are own. They can change colors and shape very quickly when trying to change according to habitats their in or hiding from predator.
I think its amazing how advanced these creatures are and things they can do. Being able to change the color or texture of their bodies in an instant just leaves me breathless. But I would like to learn more about their life styles and how long they live?
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DNA barcodes, the lifesaver for many endangered sea turtles. It sorts species apart from one another letting scientist know exactly what one of the seven species acts like and does. It is the first study using DNA of all species from everywhere in the world. It promises to make advances in the conservation and overall protection of the sea turtles. They face many threats such as; over harvesting, habitat loss, climate change, pollution, disease and other factors. By applying barcodes to the animals it allows for people to follow and know where the animals goods go into market as well as what numbers are trapped in fisheries by catch and stranded ashore.
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How do they get the barcodes into the animals?
What does it cost for each animal?
For centuries everyone has been off on the estimated time when invertebrates left the water and first made way onto land. New fossil footprints found in Poland help to show they left the water 18 million years earlier than we originally thought. Slowly forming from water creatures and swimmers to walking land inhabiting dinosaurs seems crazy. It took many years of waiting and evolving very slowly moving farther and farther out and away from their water like relatives.
What stopped us from finding out the truth about such creatures and earlier?
How many species or groups began in the water and evolved to walk on land?
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For twenty-seven years now polar bears have been studied and watched by the US Government. Data has shown that over years as ice conditions have worsened the bears have been moving inland and off the ice. between 1979 to 1987 twelve percent of bear sighting were on no ice. Then between 1997 through 2005 this number increased up to ninety percent. The sea ice has drastically decided in about twenty six years resulting in crucial habitat for these big white creatures to disappear. The number of bear-human sitings has also risen and that is something no one wants. These animals belong on the ice where they can live and feed like they always have.
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Will the Ice ever be completely gone?
What will polar bears do to survive without the ice fields, will they find new sources of hunting and food or could their population simply die off?
Throughout the coast of Abu Dhabi and other neighboring locations, development is spilling into the sea, smothering and destroying sea grass beds that feed the rare marine mammal called dugongs or sea cows. For hours a day it spends its times in shallow warm waters munching on swaying grasses. They are large animals with round bodies that measure up to 10 feet in length and at full maturity can weigh over 800 pounds. An adult can eat over 70 pounds of grass a day, but their fields of grass are being taken. By dredging the silt covers and smothers the grasses and building just rips it up.
Their buddies the green sea turtle are also endangered. Sea grass is one of its food sources and place to seek shelter. The turtle also let remoras hold onto them for rides. So by getting rid of grasses it is getting rid of many animals.
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What can be done to stop off shore building?
How much time is left for this helpless creatures?
Late summer is turtle season near the waters of Canada. They are tropical turtles that move up into colder water at these times. Mariners see many Leatherback turtles that are enormous, they weight up to 900 pounds. When a few were examined they found out that it was the only Turtle able to survive in such drastic climate change and that it ate lots of jellyfish, stinging tencta
cles and all. They have three inch spines in their gullets facing inward to hold down the jelly.
The numbers used to be very large, but today they have started to die off and become critically endangered. They become tangled and drown in fishing gear, sometimes choke on plastic bags and other trash, are struck by moving ships, caught and cut up for meat and at times their nests are found and the eggs stole to be sold on market as a delicacy.
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How and why do these turtles become so large?
What else do they feed on other than jellyfish, in both environments?
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Early Tuesday morning more than 2,000 box jellyfish were found washed up on Oahu South Shore. They covered the shore from Waikiki beach to Ala Moana beach park where about 175 people were treated for stings. Only one man out of all those people actually had to go to the hospital because of trouble breathing. It is said that it happens seven to ten days after a full moon and Tuesday was the peak of this incident. Beach goers should watch for warning signs posting on beaches or talk to lifeguards before entering water especially if allergic to jellyfish stings, if stung wash out with Vinegar.
Does this occur in any other place besides Hawaii?
Why do jellyfish wash ashore after a full moon?
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