Monday, 5 September 2016
Monday, 22 August 2016
Jellyfish Fun
SEA NETTLE JELLYFISH BY MATIAS TOTZ
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jellyfish
Sea Urchin Fun
SEA URCHINS BY MATIAS TOTZ
Background Info
There are almost 950 different species of sea urchins living in the oceans worldwide. These creatures’ shells can reach 3-10 cm long and their spikes are normally 1-3 cm long but a few of the species can have 10-30 cm long spikes. Sea urchins are normally either black, green, brown, purple, blue, or red. They have hundreds of tiny tube feet on the bottom of their shell which helps them move very slowly and stick to walls to reach algae, their main source of food.
There are almost 950 different species of sea urchins living in the oceans worldwide. These creatures’ shells can reach 3-10 cm long and their spikes are normally 1-3 cm long but a few of the species can have 10-30 cm long spikes. Sea urchins are normally either black, green, brown, purple, blue, or red. They have hundreds of tiny tube feet on the bottom of their shell which helps them move very slowly and stick to walls to reach algae, their main source of food.
Their Life Cycle
A few great beasts feed upon sea urchins including sea otters, starfish, wolf eels and triggerfish but other than these, there are not very many creatures who can feast upon sea urchins because they have protective spikes surrounding their body which help keep away any predators trying to break them open. In some unusual cases, people have accidentally stepped on sea urchins resulting in a lot of pain and a lot of unwanted poky spikes. “Urchin” comes from an old word for hedgehog, which have a very similar structure to sea urchins. Sea urchins are one of many unwanted surprises that may just find a way into your life… or foot. Sea urchins do not look like they can kill but on occasion they can bring down humans as did one when a tourist stepped on its loooonggg spikes filled with deadly venom.
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_urchin
A few great beasts feed upon sea urchins including sea otters, starfish, wolf eels and triggerfish but other than these, there are not very many creatures who can feast upon sea urchins because they have protective spikes surrounding their body which help keep away any predators trying to break them open. In some unusual cases, people have accidentally stepped on sea urchins resulting in a lot of pain and a lot of unwanted poky spikes. “Urchin” comes from an old word for hedgehog, which have a very similar structure to sea urchins. Sea urchins are one of many unwanted surprises that may just find a way into your life… or foot. Sea urchins do not look like they can kill but on occasion they can bring down humans as did one when a tourist stepped on its loooonggg spikes filled with deadly venom.
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_urchin
Sea Cucumber Fun
SEA CUCUMBERS BY MATIAS TOTZ
Species
Sea cucumbers are found on the bottom of the ocean worldwide and are known for being a great addition to any meal. These brilliant creatures look like dogs’ chew toys but they actually are very fascinating creatures with so many talents. There are almost 1,800 different species of sea cucumber found across the world. The one species of sea cucumber that sticks out most to me is the beaded sea cucumber because it reminds me of a glow-in-the-dark banana.
Defense Mechanisms
Some sea cucumbers have spikes sticking out of their body which are very soft but serve as a defense mechanism to trick any predators into thinking they have hard, sharp spikes. Another defense mechanism these creatures have hidden under their sleeves is a gut distraction. If a predator latches onto one of these sea cucumbers, the sea cucumber has the ability to spit out their guts to serve as a distraction. Sea cucumbers will grow up to 10-30 cm long, but some species can grow up to 3 m long.
Food Source
The largest American species which is normally found in the Florida reefs, has a mass of well over 500 cubic centimeters. Sea cucumbers use their mouth to scrape off any algae growing on rocks and will normally only eat anything green. I do not know why sea cucumbers taste so good if all they eat is algae!
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_cucumber
Sea cucumbers are found on the bottom of the ocean worldwide and are known for being a great addition to any meal. These brilliant creatures look like dogs’ chew toys but they actually are very fascinating creatures with so many talents. There are almost 1,800 different species of sea cucumber found across the world. The one species of sea cucumber that sticks out most to me is the beaded sea cucumber because it reminds me of a glow-in-the-dark banana.
Defense Mechanisms
Some sea cucumbers have spikes sticking out of their body which are very soft but serve as a defense mechanism to trick any predators into thinking they have hard, sharp spikes. Another defense mechanism these creatures have hidden under their sleeves is a gut distraction. If a predator latches onto one of these sea cucumbers, the sea cucumber has the ability to spit out their guts to serve as a distraction. Sea cucumbers will grow up to 10-30 cm long, but some species can grow up to 3 m long.
Food Source
The largest American species which is normally found in the Florida reefs, has a mass of well over 500 cubic centimeters. Sea cucumbers use their mouth to scrape off any algae growing on rocks and will normally only eat anything green. I do not know why sea cucumbers taste so good if all they eat is algae!
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_cucumber
Tuesday, 2 August 2016
Sea Star Fun!
SEA STARS BY MATIAS TOTZ
Basic Info
Star fish actually don't exist, sea stars do. One of the most wrongly named animals on the world are sea stars which are commonly mistaken for "star fish." There are over 1,500 magnificent types of these creatures ranging from small brittle stars to the giant sea star. Sea stars are normally found in almost every ocean at around the depth of 6,000m. Most sea stars have five arms lined with hundreds of tiny tube feet that slowly but surely help the sea star move. On the bottom of the sea star, right in the middle is the mouth. Most sea stars are generalist predators, eating algae, sponges, snails, and other small animals. Fish, sea turtles, snails, crabs, shrimp, otters, birds and even other sea stars eat sea stars. Isn't it funny that star fish can be eaten by snails and other starfish even though they eat snails and star fish.
Predators
Even though the sea star's skin is rough and hard, a predator can eat it whole. Predators not big enough to eat them in one bite can flip them over to their soft underside. You may be wondering how these slow five-armed creatures can survive in such a harsh habitat? Well a few species of sea stars like the purple sea star, have almost been wiped off the planet entirely by a horrible disease called the Wasting Syndrome. This disease has come around a few times now but next time we will be ready and not as many sea stars will turn to dust.
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starfish
Basic Info
Star fish actually don't exist, sea stars do. One of the most wrongly named animals on the world are sea stars which are commonly mistaken for "star fish." There are over 1,500 magnificent types of these creatures ranging from small brittle stars to the giant sea star. Sea stars are normally found in almost every ocean at around the depth of 6,000m. Most sea stars have five arms lined with hundreds of tiny tube feet that slowly but surely help the sea star move. On the bottom of the sea star, right in the middle is the mouth. Most sea stars are generalist predators, eating algae, sponges, snails, and other small animals. Fish, sea turtles, snails, crabs, shrimp, otters, birds and even other sea stars eat sea stars. Isn't it funny that star fish can be eaten by snails and other starfish even though they eat snails and star fish.
Predators
Even though the sea star's skin is rough and hard, a predator can eat it whole. Predators not big enough to eat them in one bite can flip them over to their soft underside. You may be wondering how these slow five-armed creatures can survive in such a harsh habitat? Well a few species of sea stars like the purple sea star, have almost been wiped off the planet entirely by a horrible disease called the Wasting Syndrome. This disease has come around a few times now but next time we will be ready and not as many sea stars will turn to dust.
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starfish
Wolf Eel Fun!!
WOLF EELS BY MATIAS TOTZ
Basic Info
One of the more popular creatures in the Shaw Ocean Discovery Aquarium is the wolf eel. Fully grown these magnificent creatures can reach the length of almost 200 cm which is almost 80 inches, and weigh about 40 lbs!! Wolf eels feed on crustaceans, sea urchins, mussels, clams, and some smaller fishes. At the aquarium we feed them cut up herring, cut up squid, and larger krill. These creatures love to hide in any crack or undergrowth they can find. At the aquarium, they will not come out until feeding time and when the larger food has been eaten they disappear once again into their hiding spots. Wolf eels are very curious and friendly, except for a few cases of wolf eel bites, these guys are rarely aggressive. During feeding time at the aquarium, one of the wolf eels normally swims to the very top of the tank where he will get hand fed and will receive a head pat. In some parts of the world like Northwest America, people enjoy the taste of wolf eels’ tasty and savoury white flesh. All juvenile wolf eels have dark grey skin colour but when they grow up they may take on a bleach white colour if they are a male, and if they are a female, a darker skin tone. Wolf eels may look like an eel, they may have “eel” in their name, but they are actually not true eels because they have pelvic fins. These beautiful fish are commonly mistaken for eels but they truly belong to the fish class and not the eel class. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_eel
q=wolf+eel&espv=2&rlz=1C1CHZL_enCA690CA690&biw=1280&bih=619&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwje0LCg9aPOAhVL-GMKHbpeCiMQ_AUIBigB#imgrc=ncUP2lEqB4zFuM%3A
Tuesday, 26 July 2016
Humpback Whales
HUMPBACK WHALES BY MATIAS TOTZ
Scar from Orca attack
Humpback whales are one of the largest baleen whales in existence and can grow up to 12-16m in length and weigh about 80,000 lbs. You may be wondering how these giant beasts can grow up to be so huge without having teeth to eat large prey? Well, baleen is very useful when you want to eat large schools of krill and small fish. The humpback whale will open its mouth and thousands of krill and small fish will get stuck in its baleen. The humpback will then close its mouth and use its tongue to pull out the animals stuck in its baleen so it can swallow them. Pleated grooves located inside the whale's mouth help drain the water initially taken in, filtering out the prey. You may hear that humpback whales are almost extinct, which is partially true because they were once hunted to the brink of extinction. Its population fell almost 90% before a 1966 moratorium on hunting them. They have recovered since then but fishing nets, ships and noise pollution continue to impact the worldwide population of about 80,000 humpbacks. Orcas are also known for hunting small juvenile humpback whales which explain the giant scars sometimes found on their bodies. Humpback whales are fascinating creatures and we have so much more to learn from them like why they sing.
Scar from Orca attack
Humpback whales are one of the largest baleen whales in existence and can grow up to 12-16m in length and weigh about 80,000 lbs. You may be wondering how these giant beasts can grow up to be so huge without having teeth to eat large prey? Well, baleen is very useful when you want to eat large schools of krill and small fish. The humpback whale will open its mouth and thousands of krill and small fish will get stuck in its baleen. The humpback will then close its mouth and use its tongue to pull out the animals stuck in its baleen so it can swallow them. Pleated grooves located inside the whale's mouth help drain the water initially taken in, filtering out the prey. You may hear that humpback whales are almost extinct, which is partially true because they were once hunted to the brink of extinction. Its population fell almost 90% before a 1966 moratorium on hunting them. They have recovered since then but fishing nets, ships and noise pollution continue to impact the worldwide population of about 80,000 humpbacks. Orcas are also known for hunting small juvenile humpback whales which explain the giant scars sometimes found on their bodies. Humpback whales are fascinating creatures and we have so much more to learn from them like why they sing.Baleen
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humpback_whale
Monday, 18 July 2016
Turtles
LOGGERHEAD TURTLES BY MATIAS TOTZ
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During my travels in Greece, I had the chance to learn about the Loggerhead Turtles who are currently endangered but are slowly making a comeback due to a lot of human effort. I was very lucky because I was able to see these magnificent creatures at night when I slept overnight on a beach in Kyparissia, the second largest breeding area for loggerheads. At first glance, these turtles look like giant boulders but once you get close enough you are able to make out a head and tail. I was blown away at how humongous these creatures are!! The ones I saw were about 70 cm long, but they can grow up to about 95cm and 450 lbs!!!!
Now you might be wondering how these giants could possibly be extinct in a few years? Well as you might be able to tell, these guys are almost invincible once they reach their adult stage but when they are in their youth stage many things can go wrong. First of all, many turtles die when they are first born if they hatch in the first place. Almost anything will eat these delightful egg snacks, including crabs such as ghost crabs, dogs, birds like owls, flies, and even ants. Then after they hatch they start running for their lives to make it into the not-so-safe ocean. While they run to the ocean, birds, and crabs will pick them off one by one. If there are any bright lights near the turtle nest like a restaurant light, the baby turtles may run towards the bright lights thinking it is the sun instead of running the right direction into the ocean.
Their intriguing lives begin when they reach the depths of the ocean. But it only gets tougher in here because these guys can get stuck in fishing nets, illegally captured for pets, mauled to death by sharks, eaten alive by diseases, and maybe a few will drown (as did almost four thousand humans this year!). If they somehow manage to survive the horrors of the ocean they will be able to lay their eggs when the whole cycle starts again. To help increase the chance of the turtles surviving after they hatch, a group of university students called ARCHELON put up protective cages around each and every nest. They place bamboo sticks on the borders of a nest and put a metal fence over the top so that nothing can dig up and eat the eggs. Due to efforts such as this, the loggerhead turtles are slowly but surely increasing their population size over the years and hopefully will soon be off the endangered list.
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loggerhead_sea_turtle
During my travels in Greece, I had the chance to learn about the Loggerhead Turtles who are currently endangered but are slowly making a comeback due to a lot of human effort. I was very lucky because I was able to see these magnificent creatures at night when I slept overnight on a beach in Kyparissia, the second largest breeding area for loggerheads. At first glance, these turtles look like giant boulders but once you get close enough you are able to make out a head and tail. I was blown away at how humongous these creatures are!! The ones I saw were about 70 cm long, but they can grow up to about 95cm and 450 lbs!!!!
Now you might be wondering how these giants could possibly be extinct in a few years? Well as you might be able to tell, these guys are almost invincible once they reach their adult stage but when they are in their youth stage many things can go wrong. First of all, many turtles die when they are first born if they hatch in the first place. Almost anything will eat these delightful egg snacks, including crabs such as ghost crabs, dogs, birds like owls, flies, and even ants. Then after they hatch they start running for their lives to make it into the not-so-safe ocean. While they run to the ocean, birds, and crabs will pick them off one by one. If there are any bright lights near the turtle nest like a restaurant light, the baby turtles may run towards the bright lights thinking it is the sun instead of running the right direction into the ocean.
Their intriguing lives begin when they reach the depths of the ocean. But it only gets tougher in here because these guys can get stuck in fishing nets, illegally captured for pets, mauled to death by sharks, eaten alive by diseases, and maybe a few will drown (as did almost four thousand humans this year!). If they somehow manage to survive the horrors of the ocean they will be able to lay their eggs when the whole cycle starts again. To help increase the chance of the turtles surviving after they hatch, a group of university students called ARCHELON put up protective cages around each and every nest. They place bamboo sticks on the borders of a nest and put a metal fence over the top so that nothing can dig up and eat the eggs. Due to efforts such as this, the loggerhead turtles are slowly but surely increasing their population size over the years and hopefully will soon be off the endangered list.
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loggerhead_sea_turtle
Monday, 11 July 2016
Octopus Fun
GIANT PACIFIC OCTOPUS
By Matias Totz
Background Info
At the aquarium I volunteer at, one of the biggest tourist attractions is our Giant Pacific Octopus! I have been fascinated by these creatures for so long and now I get to see one every week. I took some time to research these magnificent creatures. Apparently, the giant pacific octopus is the biggest species of octopus in the world and they live in the North Pacific ocean, in the intertidal zone about 6,600 feet below sea level! These little guys are not so little and can have an arm span of about 14 feet and can weigh about 30 pounds! I also learned that you can’t call an octopus’s arm a tentacle because it is actually an arm. They have a total of eight arms and have a beak in the center of their arms that contains a radula. A radula is toothed tongue and it is quite commonly seen in marine animals. Probably the coolest thing I learned about the octopus is that it has its stomach in its head! The mantle contains most of the major organs including the stomach, the hearts, the brain, and anus! Sadly my aquarium can only keep one octopus for about eight months at a time because these animals only can live up to 3-5 years old.
Diet
I always wondered what an octopus’ diet looked like, so I looked it up. Octopus eat shrimp, crabs, abalone, scallop, clams, lobster and fish. The octopus captures its prey by using its tentacles which are lined with suckers, and then bites into its prey with its beak. Some shark species have also been found inside this octopus! Maybe that’s where my missing dog went…
At the aquarium I volunteer at, one of the biggest tourist attractions is our Giant Pacific Octopus! I have been fascinated by these creatures for so long and now I get to see one every week. I took some time to research these magnificent creatures. Apparently, the giant pacific octopus is the biggest species of octopus in the world and they live in the North Pacific ocean, in the intertidal zone about 6,600 feet below sea level! These little guys are not so little and can have an arm span of about 14 feet and can weigh about 30 pounds! I also learned that you can’t call an octopus’s arm a tentacle because it is actually an arm. They have a total of eight arms and have a beak in the center of their arms that contains a radula. A radula is toothed tongue and it is quite commonly seen in marine animals. Probably the coolest thing I learned about the octopus is that it has its stomach in its head! The mantle contains most of the major organs including the stomach, the hearts, the brain, and anus! Sadly my aquarium can only keep one octopus for about eight months at a time because these animals only can live up to 3-5 years old.
Diet
I always wondered what an octopus’ diet looked like, so I looked it up. Octopus eat shrimp, crabs, abalone, scallop, clams, lobster and fish. The octopus captures its prey by using its tentacles which are lined with suckers, and then bites into its prey with its beak. Some shark species have also been found inside this octopus! Maybe that’s where my missing dog went…
Fun Facts
I learned a ton of things from these creatures and maybe you can learn a few things about them too! They have blue blood to survive in the deep ocean. The blood contains a copper called hemocyanin, which makes their blood blue. The copper is more efficient at transporting oxygen when water temperature is very low and not as much oxygen is around. This octopus also has three hearts. Two of which are branchial hearts which each pump blood to one of the gills. The third heart pumps blood through the whole body. I don’t think these guys need to worry about getting a heart attack! This octopus can fit through small holes because they have no bones. A 600-pound octopus can squeeze through a quarter-sized tube! Do I even need my bones? I think the first super human should have rubber bones so they can squeeze through small cracks and holes too!
I learned a ton of things from these creatures and maybe you can learn a few things about them too! They have blue blood to survive in the deep ocean. The blood contains a copper called hemocyanin, which makes their blood blue. The copper is more efficient at transporting oxygen when water temperature is very low and not as much oxygen is around. This octopus also has three hearts. Two of which are branchial hearts which each pump blood to one of the gills. The third heart pumps blood through the whole body. I don’t think these guys need to worry about getting a heart attack! This octopus can fit through small holes because they have no bones. A 600-pound octopus can squeeze through a quarter-sized tube! Do I even need my bones? I think the first super human should have rubber bones so they can squeeze through small cracks and holes too!
Salmon Fun
CHINOOK SALMON
By Matias Totz
Basic Info
Chinook Salmon are the largest of Pacific salmon and can grow up to be around 24-36 inches and around 10-50 pounds. At the aquarium, the Chinook salmon only get to be around 15 cm before we release them. Chinook salmon have black spots on their tail and the upper half of its body which helps us tell it from other types of salmon. These salmon spend one to eight years in the ocean before returning to their home river to spawn. Chinook salmon have massive changes before the spawning period. Both males and females will lose their silvery blue colour and their colour darkens. The males will develop sharp frontal teeth and their jaws curve or hook. The female will stay and guard her eggs for 25 days before she will die and the males will go off to seek another female. Chinook salmon eat zooplankton, larval, and adult invertebrates while in the river, but in the ocean, salmon will eat smaller fish such as herring and krill. Many animals love to eat salmon such as other fish, members of their own species, snakes, birds, whales, dolphins, seals, sea lions, bears and of course humans! I like Chinook salmon better than any other type of salmon because of how scary they get to be. Imagine swimming in a pool with these guys!⇢
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salmon
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salmon
Hermit Crab Fun
HERMIT CRABS
By Matias Totz
Basic Info
I have always wanted to know more about these little creatures, the ones that will come out and pinch you if you grab their shell. Most crabs will run away when you come near them and on occasion some will pinch you but only when you get too close, but hermit crabs are territorial and will fight over shells. They don’t make their shells but they find shells that they can fit into. A hermit crab has an exoskeleton that only covers their head and thorax which is why they stick the rest of their squishy body in a shell. They can be found on land and in the sea but you will have to look for them on land because they will most likely be hidden in a shell. These little guys eat decaying plants and animals and some of them can even filter feed. Sharks, fish, birds, octopus, and squid are known for eating these guys. Hermit crabs are by far my favorite type of crab because of how cool they can look. Some hermit crabs prefer a tiny shell while others prefer large shells. If I was a hermit crab I would want a big shell so the children and birds couldn’t get to me. Some hermit crabs even use the sponge instead of a shell!
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermit_crab
I have always wanted to know more about these little creatures, the ones that will come out and pinch you if you grab their shell. Most crabs will run away when you come near them and on occasion some will pinch you but only when you get too close, but hermit crabs are territorial and will fight over shells. They don’t make their shells but they find shells that they can fit into. A hermit crab has an exoskeleton that only covers their head and thorax which is why they stick the rest of their squishy body in a shell. They can be found on land and in the sea but you will have to look for them on land because they will most likely be hidden in a shell. These little guys eat decaying plants and animals and some of them can even filter feed. Sharks, fish, birds, octopus, and squid are known for eating these guys. Hermit crabs are by far my favorite type of crab because of how cool they can look. Some hermit crabs prefer a tiny shell while others prefer large shells. If I was a hermit crab I would want a big shell so the children and birds couldn’t get to me. Some hermit crabs even use the sponge instead of a shell!
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermit_crab
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