Shore Buddies webblog
Wisdom Wednesday: A new study has some good news, but there’s a catch
Hey, friends! It’s Finn the Dolphin here, your friendly ocean explorer and storyteller. Today, I’m surfacing with some unexpectedly positive news from the deep blue. A recent study suggests that there might be less plastic floating in our oceans than scientists previously assumed. Now, as someone who calls the ocean home, I want to share my thoughts and what this means for us sea creatures and you, our human allies.
Wisdom Wednesday | Whales ingest millions particles of microplastics a day
Shore Buddies Wisdom Wednesday 1/25/23
Blue whales eat over 1 billion particles of microplastic over a feeding season with as-yet-unknown impacts on their health
Blue whales are consuming millions of particles of microplastics every day. According to a recent study, this makes them the largest consumers of plastic waste on our planet.
Shore Buddies Ocean Wisdom Wednesday | Dolphin Facts
Dolphins are incredibly intelligent animals. They have been seen using tools, in the form of sponges, to protect their snouts while looking for food. They are also able to identify each other based on their signature whistle sounds. Just as each dolphin has a signature sound, they also each have unique dorsal fins which can be helpful in identifying them.
Wisdom Wednesday | Whales
There are two main groups of whales: baleen whales and toothed whales. Baleen whales have fibrous baleen plates in their mouths that allow them to filter larger quantities of krill, plankton, and crustaceans. These plates are made out of keratin, which is the same protein that forms human fingernails and hair.
Wisdom Wednesday | Dolphins
Dolphins love humans! This is no coincidence as they are quite similar to us with their chattiness and intelligence! They are one of the few species that can recognize themselves in the mirror and use basic tools for protection.
Wisdom Wednesday | Humpback Whales
When a Humpback whale is born, it can weigh up to 2,000 pounds and reach up to 15 feet in length. These young whales, called calves, stay with their mothers to nurse for anywhere between 6 to 10 months, until they are about 24 to 27 feet long.
Wisdom Wednesday | Tiger Tail Sea Cucumber
Tiger Tail Sea Cucumbers are the largest sea cucumber in the Western Atlantic. They feed on algae and detritus. Juveniles often mimic sea slugs by crawling around on the bottom slowly filtering sand through their tentacles to gather food. Once older, they can spread their tentacles above them to capture plankton. A number of sea cucumbers feed nocturnally while others feed by day. Sea cucumbers often attract hitch-hikers like shrimps and crabs that crawl over their skin. As a means of defence sea cucumbers can expel their intestines or respiratory organs in the form of sticky threads, but these can quickly regenerate
Wisdom Wednesday | Picasso Triggerfish
“While the fish in this photo appears to be sitting there allowing me to take his photo it was quite the contrary. He came up at me from the sandy bottom with such intent and speed that I couldn't believe I managed to get him in the frame, let alone having him and is grumpy face in focus!” Picasso Triggerfish vocalizes using a "grunting" sound.
Wisdom Wednesday | Rockfish
Some rockfish can live to be 100 years or older. Most Rockfish grow very slowly and don’t reproduce until they are at least 10 years old. Believe it or not, rockfish are aged accurately by analyzing the bones in their ears! Some species of rockfish are very territorial and may stay at a ‘home site’ for years. Rockfish often extend their dorsal spines and lean towards an approaching threat. If this defensive posture fails to discourage an approaching threat, most rockfish will then head for nearby cover. Rockfish have air bladders which allow them to float motionless in the water column. This helps them to sneak up on prey very quietly to strike.
Wisdom Wednesday | Red Coney
Wisdom Wednesday | Leopard Sharks
Living up to about 30 years, leopard sharks can be found in shallow muddy waters, particularly Northern California. Often times they are preyed upon by larger sharks, like the Great White, but they themselves eat relatively small animals like worms, crabs, octopus, and fish. Branching off from a species of houndshark in the Triakidae family, adult leopard sharks can grow up to 6 feet long, but typically average at about 5 feet.
Weekly Newsletter | Finn the Dolphin
It is Finn the dolphin here this week, coming to you live from our bright blue sea. I haven’t checked in with you all lately, but lately in my life I have been enjoying the heat of summer. The extra hot air has made the ocean of ours extra refreshing. I’ve been playing with all my other aquatic brothers and sisters, however, we have been running into some problems out in the blue.
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