Search Results

A Juvenile Wolf Eel sitting on a rocky reef, Credit to Derek Holzapfel. This month's article series will discuss, Vancouver Island, Canada. Vancouver Canada is an extremely southern Island of Canada, very close to the border from Washington State. It is the world’s 43rd largest Island, & it belongs to the country of Canada. It is across the Strait of Georgia from the metropolitan area of Vancouver. Its capital is Victoria, which resides on the southern tip of the island, in the administrative district known as the “Capital Regional District”. It has an approximate population of 864,000. The highest elevation on the island is the Golden Hinde Mountain, In the Vancouver Island Ranges. It is approximately 7,201 feet (2,194.865 meters) in height. The island itself is approximately 10.73 Nautical Miles (12.347863 miles or 19.87196 kilometers) from the nearest mainland area, that area being Washington State. The island is famed for its untamed beaches, beautiful rainforests, & fascinating wildlife. The island has a stunning mountain range that blends in with the coastline, & the temperate rainforests, creating a unique clash of terrain. Additionally, its proximity to both Washington State, & Canada, makes it so that creatures from both can migrate over from each area quickly. This creates a strange ecological environment, which can attract some of the strangest species. One of these species is the Wolf Eel. The wolf eel is a rather peculiar-looking creature, that lives in the cold waters surrounding Vancouver Island. It hails from the monotypic genus of Annarrichthys. It is one of the few species of eel which is monogamous. It is technically not a true eel, as it does not belong to the order of Anguilliformes, the order of all true eels. It is, a sculpin, which is extremely strange. As juveniles, they are extremely identifiable, as when they are young they are a bright orange color with purple pattern on them. Occasionally they get itchy, & can be seen swimming upside down & in other strange ways along rocks, to scratch themselves. In this article, we will discuss the Discovery & Life of the Wolf Eel, the Mating Cycles, Tactics, Strategies, Practices, & Procedures of the Wolf Eel, the Distribution of the Wolf Eel, & the Scientific Detailings of the Wolf Eel. With that being said, let us delve into the rather peculiar Wolf Eel. The Discovery & Life Of The Wolf Eel The Wolf Eel was first described in 1855, by the Connecticut-born ichthyologist, William Orville Ayres. The type locality first given when it was discovered was San Fransisco Bay, Located in California. It is unknown how exactly he discovered it. The Wolf Eel can reach up to 8.2 feet (2.49936 meters) long. Additionally, it can reach up to 41 pounds (18.5973 kilograms) in weight. Neither of these changes is based on the sex of the individual eel. The average life span for a Wolf Eel is approximately 25 years in the wild, & 20 years in captivity. They can be trained for hunting purposes, which shows a certain level of intelligence. Aside from that, very little is known about the intelligence of the Wolf Eel. Unfortunately, since the Wolf Eel is not a true eel, we cannot accurately estimate how long the species has existed. Additionally, we cannot confidently say any species that Wolf Eels evolved from. Since Wolf Eels have a cartilaginous skeleton, they have known fossils. They are not often social with one another, aside from mating, & are quite shy. They tend to live in solitude until meeting a lifelong mate. They are not aggressive towards humans, unless provoked, & are allegedly quite friendly towards divers. Due to their powerful jaws, they can inflict a painful bite wound on those who provoke it. They have been captured by humans before & are currently being kept in many different aquariums. As a species, they are undoubtedly being monitored or observed by independent or public scientific institutions. The speed at which it is capable of swimming has never been measured. They swim by moving their tail through the water, which propels them forward. They effectively, slither through the water, like a sea snake. It is unknown how Wolf Eels sleep as a species, but what is known is how regular eels sleep, which is presumably similar to how this species sleeps. Eels sleep by resting only part of their brain so that they can softly rock back & forth, & open their mouth to get water across their gills. They don’t migrate in the typical sense, as they tend to stay in the same area for their entire lives. As they age, they will migrate deeper & deeper into the ocean, which is why the closer to the surface you go, the younger nearby Wolf Eels typically are. Their diets largely consist of crustaceans, sea urchins, mussels, snails, abalones, clams, & various small fish species. Their powerful jaw is made for puncturing the exoskeleton of crustaceans, & the shells of clams. They are not cannibalistic in any form. They seem to be diurnal hunters, though they may hunt in the night as well. Their metabolism seems to be similar to most other fast-moving eel species. Since they have fairly good eyesight, they will hide in rocks, & then whenever they spot prey, go darting after it. It is currently unclear how much they eat per day in the wild. The main predators of adult Wolf Eels are Harbour Seals, various shark species, & a few large fish species. The Adult Wolf Eel has a very stoney face, that helps it blend into the rocks. They are a dark purple or grey color, with a thick slime coating on their skin. The males are slightly lighter than the females. They are extremely skinny creatures as well. Their lips are certainly very large & hang down & off their face slightly. They have a large dorsal fin that goes down the full length of their body.  The Mating Cycles, Tactics Strategies, Practices, & Procedures Of The Wolf Eel  Wolf Eels breed via sexual reproduction, & cannot breed via asexual reproduction. They are monogamous, & usually mate for life when they find a partner. They are also not hermaphroditic in any way, & cannot change sexes, though genetic anomalies can occur in which a Wolf Eel is intersex, or just has no determinable sex. They usually pair with one another at 4 years old, & then breed when they are 7 years old. They will usually find a cave together, to lay their eggs in. After this, they will engage in the actual mating ritual, though the contents of the ritual itself are unclear. After this, the female may lay up to 10,000 eggs at once. Then, the female will wrap herself around the eggs to protect them, & the father will wrap himself around her. The female will occasionally writhe against the eggs to send oxygenated water around them. The eggs will then gestate for 13 to 16 weeks (2.99178 to 3.68219 months). After this, they will hatch, & go off into the ocean on their own. When they hatch they will be approximately 1.6 inches (4.064 centimeters). They will first eat zooplankton, then work their way up to bigger animals. They will live on the surface of the ocean for 2 years, to have access to more oxygen. They tend to reproduce from October to the end of Winter. This species is not able to lactate, because it is not a mammal. It is unknown what age they are most fertile. It is unclear at what age they stop having children, but no matter what they stay together for the rest of their lives.  The Distribution Of The Wolf Eel Wolf Eels are found all around the Pacific Ocean, from Kodiak Island, Alaska, to Baja California, Mexico. They are also found much less prominently in the Sea Of Japan. They are usually found in colder, rockier waters, as these are best suited for the specific prey of the Wolf Eel. Populations of Wolf Eels tend to stay in the same area their entire lives, & not migrate often. They also tend to stay in areas with deeper ocean. They usually will not go deeper the 741 feet deep. At this time there are no subspecies of Wolf Eels.  The Scientific Detailings Of The Wolf Eel The most interesting thing by far about the Wolf Eel is their crushing jawbone. Their jaws are lined will multiple rows of teeth that are mainly used to crack the shell of any clam or the exoskeleton of any crustacean. They have 3 rows of teeth on their upper jaw & 2 rows of teeth on their lower jaw. Their skeleton is not bone like most other fish, it is instead cartilaginous, meaning made of cartilage. Their spines are small, thin, & fragile, & connected to their compacted spinal cord, on average they have 239 spines. At their maximum length of 8.2 feet long, they have approximately 200 spinal vertebrae. Their phylum is Chordata meaning that they developed these 5 characteristics all species under the phylum of Chordata develop 5 similar characteristics either In adulthood or as juveniles. The characteristics that they develop include, a notochord, dorsal hollow nerve cord, endostyle or thyroid, pharyngeal Slits, & a post-anal tail. Additionally, all mammalian species are known to lactate. Their class is Actinopterygii, which means that they are ray-finned fish. This also means that their actinopterygian fin rays attach directly to the proximal or basal skeletal elements. Their order is Perciformes. This order contains approximately 41% of all bony fish, & encompasses approximately 10,000 species. It has species in the majority of marine ecosystems. The majority of the species in this order have ctenoid or comb-like scales, although occasionally they may be cycloid, or smooth. Their Family is Anarhichadidae. This is the group of Sea Wolves or Wolf-fishes. There are approximately 5 species in this Family. A defining characteristic of this family is having cycloid or smooth skin. Their genus is Anarrhichthys, which is monotypic. Their binomial name is Annarhichthys Ocellatus.  Directories / Credits Citation No. 1: “Wolf Eel: The Eel That That’s Not An Eel”, Written by Unknown & Published at an Unknown. Published by the Seattle Aquarium. Retrieval Date: July 19th, 2023.   https://www.seattleaquarium.org/animals/wolf-eel Citation No. 2: “Face To Face With A Wolf Eel”, Written By Caitlin Grover, Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the British Broadcasting Company. Retrieval Date: July 19th, 2023. https://www.bbcearth.com/news/face-to-face-with-a-wolf-eel Citation No. 3: “How Do Wolf Eels “Wolf” Down A Meal?!” Written By Alexandria Feltes, & Published on the 22nd of September, 2021. Published by the Birch Aquarium, Scripps Institution Of Oceanography, UC San Diego. Retrieval Date: July 19th, 2023. https://aquarium.ucsd.edu/blog/how-do-wolf-eels-wolf-down-a-meal Citation No. 4: “ Wolf-eel”, Written by Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Retrieval Date: July 19th, 2023. https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/animals-a-to-z/wolf-eel Citation No. 5: “Inside The World Of The Wolf Eel, The Grotesque Yet Friendly Sea Monster Of The North Pacific” Written By Marco Margaritoff, Edited by Erin Kelly, & Published on July 24th, 2021. Published by All That’s Interesting. Retrieval Date: July 19th, 2023.  https://allthatsinteresting.com/wolf-eel Citation No. 6: “Annarhichthys Ocelltus Aryes, 1855.” Written By Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published By Fishbase. Retrieval Date: July 19th, 2023.  https://www.fishbase.se/summary/3813 Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast StemScribe Our Loyal Patrons  Ms. Paloma Rodriguez Ochoa

A Hawaiian day Octopus leisurely strolling through a coral reef, Credit to Brendan Heenan. This month's article series will discuss Lahaina, a sleepy town in Hawaii. Lahaina is a beautiful town on the western end of the island of Maui. Maui is one of the 8 islands of Hawaii. The island of Maui is approximately 2,132.00 Nautical Miles (2453.462 miles or 3948.464 kilometers), from mainland America, specifically California. Lahaina has a fascinating history, which can still be seen in the town today. Lahaina is a popular resort town, as its front street was extremely famous for its jewelry & clothing lines. They were also famous for their Wharf which is right next to the water. Unfortunately, due to the catastrophic wildfires of 2023, the Wharf, & their beautiful stores, were reduced to nothing but Ash. This has greatly affected the tourism in the town as well, which is terrible as Lahaina’s main sector is tourism. The town is also a prime location for fishing, as they are extremely biodiverse. Many fishing charters depart from their port each day, to Lanai, & other areas around Maui. Lahaina’s waters have beautiful coral reefs that creep up onto the shore. Along every beach, dead coral lines the sand, & sprawling reefs can be seen very clearly in the water. One of the most interesting creatures in these reefs is the Hawaiian Day Octopus. The Hawaiian Day Octopus is a cephalopod that lives off the coast of Lahaina. The first specimen of this species was captured off the coast of Australia, & currently rests in the London Museum of Natural History. They can often be seen sprawled out across the coral & rocky reefs, hunting fish. These coral reefs can be anywhere from 1 to 100 meters deep, giving them a wide range of habitats. They are also found in seagrass beds though not as commonly. This species is rather distinct, as it has blue-ringed markings across its skin. In this article, we will discuss the Discovery & Life of the Day Octopus, the Mating Procedures, Practices, Tactics, & strategies of the Day Octopus. With that being said, let us delve into this tropical cephalopod.  The Discovery & Life Of The Day Octopus The Day Octopus was first described in  1849, by British Zoologist, John Edward Gray. The first specimen was discovered off the coast of Australia, & that was its original type locality. The mantle reaches about 16 centimeters (2.645547 inches) & the arms reach at least 80 centimeters (31.4961 inches). They range between 200 to 6,600 grams (0.440925 to 14.55051 pounds, or 0.2 to 6.6 kilograms), & an average weight of 1,200 grams (1.2 kilograms, or 2.645547 pounds). Their lifespan is very average for an octopus, being at approximately 1 year. Cephalopods in general are incredibly smart. They can distinguish between emotions of themselves & other octopi. They can feel affection & even love for certain humans. They have been witnessed exhibiting signs of enjoying being pet. They are also able to distinguish between humans. At one point, an octopus was seen to use the past actions of multiple caretakers to make decisions of whether to attack them or not. They are also able to hold a grudge. Oftentimes, if one particular human does something bad to the octopus, the octopus will never forget this action. Octopi are very psychologically aware. They may not be very social, but they are capable of synchronizing hunting. They will make sounds to get other octopi to help them kill something, then spill the food. They also have advanced eyesight which helps them hunt. This particular species is not known to exhibit completely individual personalities, but that does not mean it cannot feel. It is unknown how long this species in particular has existed for. These animals are migratory, & will only build dens for up to 35 days at a time. After that, they will abandon the den & build a new one. These dens are often located in seagrass meadows or muddy areas. They seem to not be very social creatures with one another, & are very solitary until breeding. They also tend to stay away from humans. Usually, they are not aggressive unless you provoke them, & rarely are the ones to initiate combat. Their main diet consists of bivalves, small fish, & crustaceans. As of publishing, they are not known to be cannibalistic. Their metabolism is extremely quick, which is why they need to eat a lot of fish very quickly to stay alive. Hunting exerts a lot of energy, which is why they are constantly looking for their next snack. They are not nocturnal hunters like the majority of octopi but are instead diurnal hunters. They hunt primarily by disguising themselves in the coral reefs, & striking when fish swim by. They blend into these coral reefs by changing the depth of their skin, as well as the color. The method of locating food for this species is through sight, & feeling. Whenever a creature swims by, they can both see it, & feel the waves that the animal made in the water against their skin. This enables them to hunt with amazing accuracy. Their primary predators are Hawaiian Monk Seals, Moray Eels, Sharks, & Dolphins. The maximum speed of a Hawaiian Day Octopus is approximately 1-2 miles per hour. They swim by motioning water through their siphon, & then quickly pushing that water back out. This method of locomotion is called jet propulsion. Octopi have 2 different types of sleep, these types being quiet & active. During quiet sleep, they will close their eyes, & periodically move their tentacles rapidly. During active sleep, it appears that they are awake, as they will move their tentacles rapidly instead of relaxing in the way we typically view sleep. The Day Octopus is usually red, with smooth skin. They also have blue dots all over their tentacles, which gave them the secondary name of “Big Blue Octopus”. These dots can extend up towards the mantle, but rarely onto the mantle. This is just how they appear in their resting state though, & they can change their skin depth, as well as their skin color. As of 2024, they are listed as Data Deficient by the IUCN Red List.  The Mating Procedures, Practices, Tactics, & Strategies Of The Day Octopus  The Day Octopus reproduces via sexual reproduction. This species has 2 distinct sexes, & is not hermaphroditic in any way. Their mating system is polygynous, meaning that males have multiple partners, while females don’t. Both sexes reach full sexual maturity at 10 to 12 months old, usually falling closer to 11 months. They tend to be at the highest levels of fertility at 11 months as well. The males will signal to the females their willingness to mate by putting on a visual display of their skin. Once the males have successfully courted the female, they will engage in sexual contact. The males have a larger third right arm, that is used to deliver sperm directly into the female's mantle cavity, where her oviducts are located. The exact gestational period has yet to be established for this species. Generally, the gestational period for octopi around this size is about 3 months, so it is most likely around that mark. After the male mates with the female, they will never see one another. The female will then go back to her den & lay her eggs. It is unknown exactly how many eggs this female will lay at once. The females will die soon after they lay eggs, as they will stop eating completely to protect said eggs. She will protect these eggs till they hatch, at which point they will swim off into the ocean, & she will die of starvation. These babies will then explore the coral reef, & feed off plankton they find.  The Distribution Of The Day Octopus This species of Octopus occurs primarily from the eastern coast of Africa, all the way to the Hawaiian Islands. They tend to stay primarily in tropical settings, & are not found extremely far south. The species of Octopus is found from 1 to 100 meters (3.28084 to 328.084 feet) deep, & it has an average depth of 60 meters (196.85 feet). Usually, they hunt in coral reefs, & whenever they aren’t there they are usually in their dens. If a person were to attempt to catch footage of a live specimen, it would be best to search for it in a shallow coral reef. Unfortunately, it is unknown how much ground this animals cover per day.  The Scientific Detailings Of The Day Octopus  Octopi are incredibly unique for many reasons, however the main reason is their uncharacteristically high intelligence. This is not a trait seen very often in marine or land species. They have an incredibly complex neurological structure. They do not have a central brain as we think of it. They have individual systems for each tentacle. This is why if you chop off an octopus tentacle it will still move afterwards. They can also feel extreme amounts of pain. They can also feel emotions towards octopi & other humans. If they are wronged they may hold a grudge against people or other octopi until they die. However, they may also become emotionally attached to humans. They may feel differently about certain humans. They can recognize human faces to a certain extent. Octopi in general have been seen solving mazes, & when presented with these mazes later they will remember the route out. This means they can reconstruct the situation in their mind in a way that pictures the layout of the maze & the way out. They do have individual personalities & unique traits as well. This is a sign to not doubt octopi intelligence at all. A contributing factor as to why this is is that they share a similar genetic sequence with humans, this genetic sequence regulates learning. They have a total of 3 hearts much like squid or cuttlefish. They have 2 branchial hearts which pump blood to their gills. At this point, the blood will take in oxygen & be sent off to the systemic heart. After this, the systemic heart will pump the blood all over the body. Their blood is also blue instead of red. The reason for this is due to a copper-rich protein known as Hemocyanin existing in their blood. The existence of this protein in their blood causes their blood to be blue. This is very similar to the iron in Hemoglobin in human blood. This blue blood exists in all cephalopods. This blue blood can be used as a pigment if used properly. They do not have bones or any hard tissue besides their beaks. These beaks are located in the center base of all of the tentacles. They can fit through almost any hole that their beaks will fit through due to their purely soft tissue. The exact chemicals that their venom contains are unknown. They do use venom occasionally to force their prey to pass out, however they will not use this on humans. Their phylum is known as Mollusca. Mollusca is the 2nd largest phylum, just behind Arthopoda. Mollusca is however the largest marine phylum as it comprises approximately 23% of all documented marine species. The three most commonly found features defining modern species categorized under mollusks are the following: a mantle with a significant cavity used for breathing & excretion, the presence of a radula, and the structure of the nervous system. Their class is Cephalopoda. This class includes almost all species of cuttlefish, octopi, squid, & nautilus. Their order is Octopoda. This order contains the same types of species as Cephalopoda. A universal characteristic of this order is that all species classified under this are invertebrates. Their family is Octopodidae. This family contains the majority of all documented octopus species. Their current genus is known as Octopus. Octopus is the largest known genus of octopi holding over 100 species of octopus. This genus contains nothing but Octopi. The binomial name for this animal is Octopus Cyancea.  The Cultural Significance Of The Hawaiian Day Octopus The Hawaiian name for the Octopus is “He’e Mauli”.  In Hawaii, the octopus is considered a symbol of good luck, & is associated with the god, Kanaloa. Kanaloa was the god of the ocean, that ancient Hawaiians would pray to when sailing. Kanaloa was also one of the 4 main gods in Hawaiian Mythology. Kanaloa was often associated with Kané, the male god of creation. The name Kanaloa is also the alternative name for the island of Kaho’olawe. Also allegedly in the Hawaiian Creation story, the Octopus is an Alien left over from a previous universe, though we could not confirm this. The octopus is also associated with many other myths around the world, but for this article, we can only discuss the Hawaiian significance of this animal. There is also an old Hawaiian saying, “Pu ke kō, kū mai ka he’e. This saying directly translates to, “When sugarcane flowers, the octopus appears.”. What this saying means is that whenever sugarcane seasonally blooms, it is prime octopus hunting season.  Directories / Credits Citation No. 1: “Octopus Cyancea”, written by Heidi Chicas, & published at an unknown date. Published by Animal Diversity. Retrieval Date: September 10th, 2023.  https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Octopus_cyanea/ Citation No. 2: “Day Octopus”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Maui Ocean Center. Retrieval Date: September 10th, 2023.   https://mauioceancenter.com/marine-life/day-octopus/ Citation No. 3: “Day Octopus: Octopus Cyancea”, Written By Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Aquarium of the Pacific. Retrieval Date: September 10th, 2023.   https://www.aquariumofpacific.org/onlinelearningcenter/species/day_octopus Citation No. 4: “Creature Of The Month: Day Octopus”, Written By Alexandrya Robinson, & Published on May 9th of 2021. Published By the University of Hawaii, at Mānoa. Retrieval Date: September 10th, 2023.   https://manoa.hawaii.edu/mop/2021/05/09/creature-of-the-month-day-octopus/ Citation No. 5: “8 Tenti-Cool Facts About The Octopus” Written By Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Retrieval Date: September 10th, 2023.   https://mauioceancenter.com/8-tenti-cool-facts-about-the-octopus/ Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast StemScribe Our Loyal Patrons Ms. Paloma Rodriguez Ochoa

The Documented History Of Vancouver Island Today’s article will discuss the oceans surrounding Vancouver Island. Vancouver Island, Canada is an extremely southerly Island belonging to Canada, very close to Washington State. It is the world’s 43rd largest Island, & it belongs to the country of Canada. It is across the Strait of Georgia from the metropolitan area of Vancouver. Its capital is Victoria, which resides on the southern tip of the island, in the administrative district known as the “Capital Regional District”. It has an approximate population of 864,000. The highest elevation on the island is the Golden Hinde Mountain, In the Vancouver Island Ranges. It is approximately 7,201 feet (2,194.865 meters) in height. The island itself is approximately 10.73 Nautical Miles (12.347863 miles or 19.87196 kilometers) from the nearest mainland area, that area being Washington State. The island is famed for its untamed beaches, beautiful rainforests, & fascinating wildlife. The island has a beautiful mountain range that blends in with the coastline, & the temperate rainforests, which creates a unique clash of terrain. Additionally, its proximity to both Washington State, & Canada, makes it so that creatures from both can migrate over from each area quickly. This creates a strange ecological environment, which can attract some of the strangest species. In this article, we will discuss the Documented History Of Vancouver Island, the Aboriginals of the Island, the Most Destructive Man-Caused & Natural Disasters of the Island, & finally the Economic state of the Island. With that being said, let us delve into the rich history of this temperate island.  The Documented History Of Vancouver Island  Before Colonization Vancouver Island was formed approximately 150 million years ago, when Volcanic activity pushed sedimentary rock upwards from the sea floor, & thus the island was born. It was much different geographically, & possibly larger, due to rising the fact that sea levels were much lower. Vancouver Island has been populated for at least 13,800 years, by three main Aboriginal Groups, those being the Coastal Salish, the Nuu-Chah-Nulth, 7 Kwakwaka’wakw.  After Colonization  History From The 1700’s In 1778, the esteemed Captain James Cook made contact with the island, & made its existence known on a map. In 1788, John Meares began trading in the region of otter pelts, & seal pelts. The island began to be geographically surveyed by George Vancouver, a British naval officer, in 1792. However, The mapping of the island was not completed until 1795, due to the sheer size of the island. Soon after, the island was acquired by the Hudson’s Bay Company, & was held by said company up until it was made a British Colony in 1849.  History From The 1800’s  During the early 1800’s, whaling became extremely popular & profitable among many hunters. Whales specifically were popular for their oil, which was used in a variety of cosmetics. In 1843, Fort Victoria was built, which reinforced the fur industry as it was an incredibly large fur trading outpost. It also boosted the economy on the island by a fair amount. In 1849, Vancouver Island was made a British Crown Colony, independent of British Columbia. In 1853, a few large coal mines opened in Nanaimo Harbour, which is on eastern Vancouver Island. This brought an entirely new industry to the island, & along with it came a new age of innovation. In the year 1860, the first sawmill on the island saw its first export, which began a boom in the lumber industry on the island. This also caused a mass influx of immigrants who were seeking the Canadian dream, & seeking stability. A surprising amount of Chinese immigrants came in during this period as well, but the majority of European immigrants wouldn’t come until a few years down the line. In 1866, Vancouver Island was absorbed by mainland British Columbia, & stopped being its province. The first medium-sized wave of European Immigrants came to Victoria in 1874, largely from Scotland. In 1904, the islands ' renowned gardens were built by Jennie Butchart, who along with her husband sculpted a limestone quarry, into a beautiful green oasis.  History from the 1900’s In the 1900s many naturalist projects took place, which made the island much prettier generally. The first of which, was in 1904. In 1904, the islands ' renowned gardens were built by Jennie Butchart, who along with her husband sculpted a limestone quarry, into a beautiful green oasis. Soon after in 1911, construction on the Strathcana Provincial Park, which was the first nature preserve on the island. Beginning in 1938, Salmon fishing became an extremely popular leisure activity on the island, which attracted many tourists from both Canada & America. As the influence of Hollywood grew, many actors would have summertime or part-time residences on the island. One of the most famous of these celebrities was Bing Crosby, who often Salmon fished on the island. In 1958 the destruction of Ripple Rock caused the largest man-made non-nuclear explosion at the time. On the morning of April 5th, 1958 at 9:32:02 AM, Ripple Rock was destroyed. 699,998.547 US tons (635,028 tonnes) of rock erupted to a height of 1,000 feet (304.8 meters), in a spectacular sight of human innovation. All debris took about 10 seconds to fall into the water, leaving a smoke cloud behind. Thankfully, this did not cause any major issues. In 1960, a growing need for public transportation between the mainland & the island began becoming very apparent, so a ferry service formed. The first ferry trips were in 1960, & have been in regular service ever since. Unfortunately, in 1964, disaster struck the island with devastating effects. In 1964, in the south-central area of Vancouver Island, Port Alberni was struck by 2 tsunamis, which destroyed about 50 homes, & injured countless other homes. Many residents were displaced, & many commercial buildings were damaged. Thankfully though, there were no direct deaths as a result of the tsunamis. In 1970, the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve was established, bringing a more optimistic future for the island as a whole. Additionally, in 1974, The Islands Trust was formed to manage Vancouver Island, as well as the hundreds of small surrounding islands. This trust's Office is located at 1627, Fort St. Victoria, BC V8R 1H8, Canada. Additionally, the island's first ski resort was opened in 1979, at Mount Washington. This brought a whole new industry to the island, which made the island even more economically prosperous.  The Aboriginals Of Vancouver Island It is important to know, that there are many more Aboriginals on Vancouver Island, & these are just the 3 main groups of Aboriginals. We cannot cover all of the groups in this article, due to informational constraints.  No. 1: Coastal Salish Aboriginals  The Coastal Salish Aboriginals are a group of indigenous peoples found on southwestern Vancouver Island. They are also found in British Columbia & along Puget Sound. They seem to have inhabited the area for at least 8,000 years, alongside others. There are 3 distinct subdivisions, & 9 distinct dialects of said languages. These subdivisions are Nuxalk, Coast Salish, & Interior Salish. All of these languages are incredibly endangered, & only have 3-4 native speakers each at any given time. Before Colonization, they primarily sustained themselves by fishing. The majority of their inland villages were along rivers, to fish more easily. They would often construct houses out of logs, & build permanent winter lodging instead of going south. Their basic familial unit is centered around the extended family, rather than the nuclear family. Usually, all family members would just live in one large house. They often held ceremonies in the winter, which would consist of dancing. It seems that these ceremonies were often very individualistic, & differ between different families, but this is unconfirmed. Their modern population estimates are at 25,000.  No. 2: Nuu-Chah-Nulth Aboriginals The Nuu-Chah-Nulth Aboriginals are an indigenous peoples group, who hunted whales along the Pacific Coast for years. They were primarily found along the western coast of Vancouver Island. They were formerly referred to as the Nootka, which is what gave Vancouver Island the original name of, Nootka Island. The Nuu-Chah-Nulth is about 15 different tribes of closely related people, instead of just one group. They used to have a very plentiful population, but when they made contact with settlers, massive smallpox outbreaks caused the majority of them to die. This also caused the Nuu-Chah-Nulth Language to become extremely endangered. Their culture is one of the few northwestern traditions in which whaling is practiced. Whaling is an important part of their spirituality, as can be seen in their songs, folklore, names, & territorial names. The most popular example of this being reflected in their spirituality, was prayer houses, such as the Yuquot Whalers Shrine. These temples were used to undergo spiritual preparations before going on a whaling expedition. They have hunted whales for at least 4,000 years, primarily of the grey & humpback species. They also seem to have hunted Orca on occasion, as it was regarded as high quality. Additionally, Social status affected whether or not you were allowed to join the whaling hunt. If you were not in a high social position, you would not be allowed to join the hunt, nor would you get much of the whale blubber. To join the whaling hunt was seen as an honor by the Nuu-Chah-Nulth, which is why the hunts were primarily led by the chief or head of the village. Their diets primarily were fish & crustacean-based, these fish included Herring, Rockfish, Salmon, & Halibut. They also seemed to have clams, mussels, & sea urchins as a large part of their diet. Berrying was also common practice, with the most popular berries being huckleberry, & blueberry. A few tribes would also pick crabapples, but that was much less popular. Lots of oral history about the traditional diets of the Nuu-Chah-Nulth has survived to this day, & been published as a 90-page cookbook. For their choice of wood for housing, it was often red or yellow cedar wood trees. This wood was also used for carvings of statues, & shrines. No. 3: Kwakwaka’wakw Aboriginals  The Kwakwaka’wakw are a group of indigenous peoples who inhabit Vancouver Island, as well as the nearby British Columbia region. Their current population census is estimated at 3,665 individuals. They currently have 13 organized band governments. Their lifestyles are very ocean-oriented, & whaling is an important part of their tradition. Their songs, traditional dances, folklore, & ceremonial rituals reflect their cultural emphasis on oceanic life, & connection with nature. Aside from whaling, they often would hunt salmon & oolichan, a kind of silvery fish. The Kwak’wala language contains 43 alphabetical characters, & unfortunately is endangered. Their complete alphabet is linked here: https://umistapotlatch.ca . There are currently about 14 communities that still speak the Kwak’wala language. Currently, there are approximately 585 native speakers of the Kwak’wala language. The Kwakwaka’wakw celebrate a large cultural gathering known as a potlatch. In this gathering, they will gather, feast on many different dishes, exchange gifts, & perform dances. This tradition has persisted into the modern day, & is still extremely commonplace among these individuals. They share this tradition with the Nuu-Chah-Nulth, & many others. Currently, the U’mista Cultural Society works to preserve the Kwakwaka’wakw heritage & culture.  The Most Destructive Man-Caused & Natural Disasters To Affect Vancouver Island No. 1: The Port Alice Landslide Of 1975 On a November Morning of 1975, major rains affected the area of Port Alice, & caused a massive landslide. Port Alice had a population of about 1,500 people at the time, but due to a local lumber company, they had many people traveling through for work. Many people in Port Alice didn’t listen to any warnings telling them to not build their houses on cliff-sides, so there was much more to destroy than there should have been. There were thankfully no casualties, but it did cause many displacements of families.  No. 2: The Vancouver Island Earthquake of 1946 On June 23rd, 1946, at 10:13:26 AM, a magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Vancouver Island. This was the largest onshore earthquake to affect Canada at the time. The earthquake was felt as far as Portland, Oregon, & knocked down approximately 75% of the chimneys in the surrounding area. Unfortunately, 2 deaths happened as a result of the earthquake, & 1 person drowned due to their small boat capsizing. Another person died indirectly as a result of the earthquake, from a heart attack in Seattle, Washington. Many people were displaced as a result of the earthquake, & it took many months to fully recover. As a result of the earthquake, many schools & commercial were seismically reinforced, to protect civilians.  No. 3: The Alberni Valley Tsunami Of 1964 The Alberni Valley Tsunami was caused by the great Alaskan earthquake, which measured 9.2 in magnitude. The tsunami was not just 1 gargantuan wave, instead, it was 6 big waves. The tsunami waves cost about 5,000,000 million U.S.D in 1964, which adjusted for inflation is approximately 49,305,000.00 U.S.D. Thankfully, there were no casualties as a result of the tsunami.  No. 4: Columbus Day Storm Of 1962 The Columbus Day Storm was a typhoon that affected the Southern Coast of Canada, & the Pacific Northwest of America. It lasted from September 28th, 1962, to October 27th, 1962. It first made landfall on Vancouver Island & Washington on October 13 of 1962, before curving northwestern. The storm caused 46 casualties across Oregon, Northern California, Washington, & British Columbia. One reason for its massive power is that it absorbed another storm before hitting Washington. The total damage caused was approximately 230,000,000 U.S.D at the time, which adjusted for inflation is 2,328,110,264.90 U.S.D.  The Economic State Of Vancouver Island Vancouver Island’s economy is extremely diverse, with thriving Aquaculture, Manufacturing, Software, Tourism, Agriculture, Finance, Forestry, & Construction industries. Vancouver Island’s GDP per Capita is approximately 46,250$ as of 2024. The total GDP of Vancouver, is roughly 37 Billion, despite only having 870,000 people. The average townhouse on Vancouver Island costs approximately 561,500 U.S.D. There are usually between 200 to 300 homes on the market that are on the island at any given time.  Directories / Credits Citation No. 1: “Vancouver Island”, Written by the Editors Of Encyclopedia Britannica, & published first on July 20th, 1998. Published by the Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieval Date: September 7th, 2023.  https://www.britannica.com/place/Vancouver-Island Citation No. 2: “History & Heritage Of Vancouver Island”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Bluewater Adventures. Retrieval Date: September 7th, 2023.  https://vancouverisland.com/about/history-heritage/history-heritage-of-vancouver-island/ Citation No. 3: “Vancouver Island - An In-Depth History”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Nanaimo Yacht Charters. Retrieval Date: September 7th, 2023.  https://www.nanaimoyachtcharters.com/vancouver-island-depth/ Citation No. 4: “Coast Salish”, Written by Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the First Nations Website. Retrieval Date: September 7th, 2023.  http://www.firstnations.de/development/coast_salish.htm Citation No. 5: “Coast Salish”, Written by the Editors Of Encyclopedia Britannica, & First Published on July 20th of 1998. Published by Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieval Date: September 7th, 2023.  https://www.britannica.com/topic/Coast-Salish Citation No. 6: “Nuu-Chah-Nulth”, Written by Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Museum Of Natural History. Retrieval Date: September 7th, 2023.  https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/permanent/northwest-coast/nuu-chah-nulth Citation No. 7: “Our People: People Of The Potlatch”, Written by Unknown & Published at an Unknown date. Published by the Virtual Museum Canada. Retrieval Date: September 7th, 2023.  https://umistapotlatch.ca/notre_peuple-our_people-eng.php Citation No. 8: “Kwakwaka’wakw (Kwakiult)”, Written by Gloria Cranmer Webster, & first Published on November 21st of 2006. Published by the Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieval Date: September 7th, 2023.  https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/kwakiutl Citation No. 9: “5 Natural Disasters On Vancouver Island To Remember”, Written by Dave Flawse, & Published July 5th, 2022. Published by Vancouver Island History. Retrieval Date: September 7th, 2023.  https://www.vancouverislandhistory.com/p/5-natural-disasters-on-vancouver-island Citation No. 10: “The M7.3 Vancouver Island Earthquake 1946”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Government Of Canada. Retrieval Date: September 7th, 2023.  https://earthquakescanada.nrcan.gc.ca/historic-historique/events/19460623-en.php Citation No. 11: “Landslide That Hit Port Alice 1975 ‘All We Saw Was Mud’”, Written by Sandra McCulloch, & Published on March 23rd, 2014, at 2:28 PM. Published by Times Colonist. Retrieval Date: September 7th, 2023.  https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/landslide-that-hit-port-alice-in-1975-all-we-saw-was-rock-and-mud-4607075 Citation No. 12: “The Alberni Valley Tsunami Of 1964”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Alberni Valley Tourism. Retrieval Date: September 7th, 2023.  https://albernivalleytourism.com/the-alberni-valley-tsunami-of-1964/ Citation No. 13: “Columbus Day Storm (1962)”, Written By Jeff LaLande & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Oregon Encyclopedia. Retrieval Date: September 7th, 2023.  https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/columbus_day_storm_1962_/ Citation No. 14: “An Evolving Economy”, Written By Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Vancouver Island Economic Alliance. Retrieval Date: September 7th, 2023.  https://viea.ca/economic-sector/economic-overview/ Citation No. 15: “What Vancouver Island Would Look Like As An Independent Country”, Written By Tristan Hopper, & Cameron Welch, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published By The Capital Daily News. Retrieval Date: September 7th, 2023.  https://www.capitaldaily.ca/news/independent-vancouver-island Citation No. 16: “Vancouver Island Real Estate Board”, Written By Unknown & Published, at An Unknown Date. Published By the Canadian Real Estate Association. Retrieval Date: September 7th, 2023.  https://creastats.crea.ca/board/vani Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast StemScribe Our Loyal Patrons  Ms. Paloma Rodriguez Ochoa

Marine Biological Hall Of Distinction: Lady Anna Thynne This article is a part of our collection known as the Marine Hall Of Distinction. It is a different series from our main monthly series & has no connection to the main monthly series. In this special collection, we will discuss marine biologists who we feel have served marine biology & oceanography the most. We do this in order to commemorate these marine biologists & to show gratitude for everything they have contributed to our oceans. This collection has no relation to the main monthly series. This series is published on the 25th of every month, shortly after our article on the oceanic environment of the area of the month on the 20th.  Today’s marine biologist, is British marine biologist & zoologist, Lady Anna Thynne. Lady Anna Thynne is a British marine zoologist known for her expertise related to sponges, & aquariums. She is credited for being the woman who brought Aquariums to London, with the book Theatres of Glass being dedicated to chronicling her work.  In today’s article, we shall delve into Lady Anna Thynne’s Formative Years & Education, Her Personal Life & Career, & her Achievements, Accomplishments, Awards & Honorables. With that being said, let us delve into the life & work of Anna Thynne. Her Formative Years & Education  Anna Constantia Thynne was born Anna Constantia Beresford, in 1806. She was born to Reverend Charles Cobbe Beresford, a priest. It is theorized she was born in Ireland, however that is unclear. Unfortunately, very little is known about her younger years. She developed a love & passion for Zoology from a young age, & was always fascinated by natural sciences.  Her Personal Life & Career   Lady Thynne married Lord John Thynne, an Anglican Priest & Aristocrat, on March 24th, 1823, at the age of 17. Together, they had at least 10 children, with 2 daughters & 8 sons.  Her love for marine biology wasn’t fully developed until a trip to Ireland in 1846 when she came across a Madrepore. Prior to this, she had an interest in sponges, however, she was far more fascinated by Madrepores, a kind of stony cold water coral. She became intrigued by it, as although it seemed like an ordinary rock, it was a living creature. She took a small piece of it back to London with her, & planted it into a glass tank in her drawing room. Due to not having access to constant sea water, the coral would be transferred to different tanks with new water every day. In 1847, she added a few kinds of marine plants to the Aquarium, & created the world’s first balanced marine aquarium, & a small marine ecosystem. Soon after, she built & maintained the world’s first public aquarium at Westminster Abby, in a small tank.  In 1859, she published her first scientific article titled “On the Increase of Madrephores”, in the Annals & Magazine of Natural History, including Zoology, Botany, & Geology. This article can be found at https://archive.org .  Unfortunately, Lady Anna Thynne passed away in 1866, at the age of 60. Her contributions to fish-keeping, marine biology, & marine zoology will not be forgotten, & neither will her love for Madrephores. Her Achievements, Accomplishments, Awards, & Honorables She was the first person to open a public aquarium in London, & pioneered the idea of contemporary fish-keeping.  She directly inspired Philip Henry Goose to open the Fish House at the London Zoo in 1853. The Fish House unfortunately is no longer operational, however it is succeeded by the current Aquarium at the London Zoo. Directories / Credits Citation No. 1: “Anna Thynne: Zoologist”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Prabook. Retrieval Date: October 1st, 2024. https://prabook.com/web/mobile/#!profile/2587974 Citation No. 2: “Inventing The Aquarium: A Short History”, Written by Kevin Edge & Published by the Horniman Museum. Retrieval Date: October 1st, 2024. https://www.horniman.ac.uk/story/inventing-the-aquarium-a-short-history/ Citation No. 3: “Victorian Pioneers Of The Marine Aquarium”, Written by Tim Wijgerde, & Published on February 10th, 2016. Published by the Advanced Aquarist. Retrieval Date: October 2nd, 2024.  https://reefs.com/magazine/victorian-pioneers-of-the-marine-aquarium/ Citation No. 4: “First Public Aquarium”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by London Zoo. Retrieval Date: October 2nd, 2024. https://www.londonzoo.org/zoo-stories/history-of-london-zoo/worlds-first-aquarium Citation No. 5: “Vintage Aquariums”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Aquarium Architecture. Retrieval Date: October 2nd, 2024.  https://www.aquariumarchitecture.com/archive/vintage-aquariums/ Citation No. 6: “When Were Aquariums Invented?”, Written by Dominic, & Published on May 30th, 2022. Published by Kraken Corals. Retrieval Date: October 2nd, 2024.  https://krakencorals.co.uk/blog/when-were-aquariums-invented Citation No. 7: “On the Increase of Madrephores”, Written by Anna Thynne, & Published on April 6th, 1859. Published by The Annals & Magazine of Natural History, Including Zoology, Botany, & Geology. Retrieval Date: October 2nd, 2024. https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_CrBMAAAAYAAJ_2/page/n458/mode/1up Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast StemScribe Our Loyal Patrons Ms. Paloma Rodriguez Ochoa

The Oceans Surrounding Vancouver Island, Canada Today’s article will discuss the oceans surrounding Vancouver Island. Vancouver Island, Canada, is an extremely southerly Island belonging to Canada, very close to Washington State.  It is the world’s 43rd largest Island, & it belongs to the country of Canada. It is across the Strait of Georgia from the metropolitan area of Vancouver. Its capital is Victoria, which resides on the southern tip of the island, in the administrative district known as the “Capital Regional District”. It has an approximate population of 864,000. The highest elevation on the island is the Golden Hinde Mountain, In the Vancouver Island Ranges. It is approximately 7,201 feet (2,194.865 meters) in height. The island itself is approximately 10.73 Nautical Miles (12.347863 miles or 19.87196 kilometers) from the nearest mainland area, that area being Washington State. The island is famed for its untamed beaches, beautiful rainforests, & fascinating wildlife. The island has a beautiful mountain range that blends in with the coastline, & the temperate rainforests, which creates a unique clash of terrain. Additionally, its proximity to both Washington State, & Canada, makes it so that creatures from both can migrate over from each area quickly. This creates a strange ecological environment, which can attract some of the strangest species. We managed to find approximately 75 of the most prominent marine animal species that live in the Vancouver Island Region. In this article, we will discuss the Salinity, Tides, Temperatures, & Marine Geography, of the island, the most prominent ecosystems of the island, The documented marine flora & Fauna, & Finally, & how ocean acidification has affected the island. With that being said, let us delve into the oceans surrounding Vancouver Island. The Tides, Temperatures, Salinity, Marine Geography, & Basic Information Of The Oceans Surrounding Vancouver Island The island is located in the lower area of the British Columbia province, in Canada. It is extremely close to the American-Canadian Border, namely the state of Washington. It is in the Pacific Ocean. The salinity of Vancouver Island has been measured, but we cannot find the exact number available to the public domain. What we can tell, is that the salinity does not differ from the surrounding Pacific areas, & there is no gradient. Additionally, there are no known large salt deposits that would affect the salinity. There are no circumstances that would cause the salinity level to change, such as marshes. Vancouver Island is safe for swimming, & is known for its rugged beaches & cliffside coasts. Unfortunately, we are unable to confirm whether or not strong riptide events occur in this area. The temperature charts for Vancouver Island can be found on a plethora of websites, a few of which are https://seatemperatures.net , https://seatemperature.info , & https://beach-weather.com . The average yearly water temperature for the coastal waters of Vancouver Island over the last few years has been approximately 50° Fahrenheit (10° Celsius) & it most likely won’t change by much. At that temperature, it is recommended that one has a 7-millimeter full scuba suit, to stay insulated. The tidal charts can also be found on many websites as but not limited to: https://www.tideschart.com , https://www.tide-forecast.com , https://www.windfinder.com , & finally https://www.tidetime.org . Generally, the tides do not go over 15.5 feet (4.7244 meters) at their highest. The deepest oceanic point within 5 nautical miles of Vancouver Island is 1092.5 feet (332.994 meters) deep. The oceanic floor mainly consists of coral, sand, & occasionally rock. The pollution around the island is very bad the closer you get to Victoria Harbour. Evidence suggests that Victoria Harbour is British Columbia’s most polluted body of water, for various reasons. There are still many unpolluted oceanic areas around Vancouver Island that one can swim in, & generally, pollution is not a threat to swimmers, but it is still dangerous to wildlife. The main pollutant in the water is polychlorinated biphenyl, which is used in coolants.  Snorkeling is still very popular on the island & many snorkeling rental sites can be found along the coastline. Eco-tourism is extremely popular on the island, for both the rugged coastline, & the inland ecosystems as well. The most popular beaches tend to be the southern coast of Vancouver Island. These beaches are mainly Chesterman Beach, Saratoga Beach, Cox Bay Beach, French Beach, Schooner Cove, Sombrio Beach, Sandcut Beach, Cope Scott Park, Florencia Bay, & finally Juan De Fuca Park. There is currently 1 marine protected area around Vancouver Island, designated by the Tsawout Indigenous Peoples. It is approximately 155 square kilometers (59.8458 square miles) of land in the Salish Sea, close-by Vancouver Island. The Most Prominent Marine Ecosystems Of Vancouver Island Ecosystem No. 1: Fringing Coral Reefs Despite the cold climate of Vancouver Island, Fringing Coral Reefs are found commonly in the south of the island. These are the most biodiverse marine ecosystems by far on the island. These coral reefs can be found between 10 feet offshore, to miles & miles off the coast. These cold-water corals are made of calcium carbonate, & are hardened.  These coral reefs usually are used as breeding grounds, shelters, hunting grounds, & fish nurseries of sorts. These coral reefs are known to support 20% of all marine life around Vancouver Island. Unfortunately, there is currently no data on the various coral species found off the coast of Vancouver Island.  Ecosystem No. 2: Rocky / Sandy Barren Areas  This is the most common ecosystem surrounding the island. This ecosystem largely consists of rock formations, as well as compacted sand. These ecosystems are largely offshore, & not in the intertidal zones. These ecosystems are used as hunting, spawning, and shelter grounds. This specific kind of ecosystem is found all around the island. These areas are found between 25 to 300 feet deep.  The Documented Marine Flora Of Vancouver Island  The main marine species of Seagrass found around Vancouver Island is Zostera Marina, though Zostera Japonica is also found in the area. Zostera Japonica has only been recently introduced, & it is not native to the environment. Zostera Marina is native to the environment, & has had more time to develop colonies than Zostera Japonica. There are numerous macro algae species found around the island, whose names are as follows: Nereocystis Luetkaena (Bull Kelp), Fucus Distichus (Pacific Rockweed), Ulva Lactuca (Sea Lettuce), Saccharina Groenlandica (Split Kelp), Laminaria Saccharina (Sugar Kelp), & finally Wire Weed (Sargassum muticum). All of these plants are found within 20 nautical miles of the islands. Additionally, the majority of these plants were found in intertidal zones. None of these species are endemic to Vancouver Island, & can be found in many other places. The Documented Marine Fauna Of Vancouver Island Vancouver Island is not very biodiverse, but it still does have a flourishing marine population & general ecosystem. The reason for this is the climate, food options, & the amazing seagrass colonies. Pollution is high in certain areas, but most other areas are advancing. Additionally, efforts to maintain the seagrass colonies are underway & are funded. This makes the island more attractive to marine creatures. Currently, there are no known endemic marine creatures, that are incredibly hard to track, so they may just be undiscovered. Since Vancouver Island is a popular migrational destination, many marine populations do not live there year-round, & will instead migrate.  Now, for this article, we will not include nudibranchs, sea slugs, sea snails, planktons, lichens, limpets, sea worms, or sea urchins, as there are just too many of them. We will also not be counting waterfowl, or the Vancouver Island Coastal Sea Wolf, as neither lives primarily in the ocean. The list of the most prominent marine creatures of Vancouver Island are as follows: Megaptera Novaeangliae (Humpback Whale), Esrichtius Robustus (Pacific Grey Whale), Balaenoptera Acutorostrata (Minke Whale), Phocoenoids Dalli (Dall’s Porpoise), Phocoena Phocoena (Harbour Porpoise), Orcinus Orca (Orca / Killer Whale), Lagenorhynchus obliquidens (Pacific White Toothed Whale), Zalophus Californianus (California Sea Lion), Mirounga angustirostris (Elephant Seal), Phoca Vitulina (Pacific Harbour Seal), Hemigrapsus Nudus (Purple Shore Crab), Hemigrapsus Oregonensis (Green Shore Crab), Petrolisthes Eriomerus (Flattop Crab), Petrolisthes Cinctipes (Smooth Porcelain Crab), Lophopanopeus Bellus (Black-clawed Crab), Cancer Productus (Red Rock Crab), Cancer Oregonensis (Pygmy Rock Crab), Pugettia Producta (Kelp Crab), Oregonia Gracilis (Graceful Decorator Crab), Telmessus Cheiragonus (Helmet Crab), Hapalogaster Mertensii (Hairy Crab), Cancer Magister (Dungeness Crab), Phyllolithodes Papillosus (Heart Crab), Pandalus Platyceros (Pacific Prawn), Pandalus Hyposinotus (Humpback Shrimp), Pandalus Danae (Coonstripe Shrimp), Elassochirus Tenuimanus (Widehand Hermit), Pagarus Beringanus (Bering Hermit), Pagarus Samuelis  (Blueband Hermit), Cyancea Capillata (Lions Mane Jellyfish), Aequorea Victoria (Many Ribbed Medusa), Aurelia Labiata (Moon Jellyfish), Venerupis Philippinarum (Manilla Clam), Protothaca Staminea (Pacific Littleneck Clam), Nuttallia Obscurata (Varnish Clam), Saxidomus Gigantea (Washington Butter Clam), Crassadoma Gigantea(Giant Rock Scallop), Crassotrea Gigas (Giant Pacific Oyster), Macoma Nasuta (Bent-nosed Macoma), Entodesma Navicula (Northwest Ugly Clam), Gari Californica (California Sunset Clam), Penitella Penita (Flat Tipped Piddock), Mytilus Californianus  (California Mussel), Siliqua Patula (Pacific Razor Clam), Tellina Bodegensis (Bodega Tellin), Hatilotis Kamtschatkana (Northern Abalone), Nucella Lamellosa (Wrinkled Dogwrinkle), Nucella Ostrina (Northern Striped Dogwrinkle), Ceratostoma Foliatum (Leafy Hornmouth), Searlisia Dira (Direwhelk), Tegula Funebralis (Black Turban), Littorina Scutulata (Checkered Periwinkle), Olivella Biplicata (Purple Olive), Olivella Pedroana (Zigzag Olive), Nassarius Fossatus (Giant Western Nassa), Octopus Dofleini (Giant Pacific Octopus), Artedius Harringtoni (Scalyhead Sculpin), Ophiodon Elongatus (Lingcod), Platichthys Stellatus (Starry Flounder), Hippoglossus Stenolepis (Halibut), Liparis Dennyi (Marbled Snailfish), Liparis Pulchellus (Showy Snailfish), Liparis Florae (Tidepool Snailfish), Liparis Callyodon (Spotted Snailfish), Hydrolagus Collilei (Ratfish), Embiotoca Lateralis (Striped Seaperch), Sebastes Nebulosis (China Rockfish), Sebastes Melanops (Black Rockfish), Sebastes Miniatus (Vermilion Rockfish), Sebastes Ruberrimus (Yelloweye Rockfish), Sebastes Nigrocintus (Tiger Rockfish), Gobiesox Maeandricus (Flathead Clingfish), & finally, Squalus Acanthias (Spiny Dogfish).  How Ocean Acidification Has Affected Vancouver Island First off, Ocean acidification is caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.  Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have increased, largely because of human-caused burning of fossil fuels, and deforestation, for the past 150 years.  When carbon dioxide contacts sea water, it forms carbonic acid.  Carbonic acid gives off positive H+ ions, which causes increased oceanic H+ concentrations & decreased oceanic Ph. To be clear, ocean acidification is an entirely separate phenomenon from higher oceanic temperatures, & though they have similar effects & characteristics, they are not one in the same. This largely affects coral reefs, as it causes them to bleach. Now, there is no evidence that ocean acidification has affected the Vancouver Island coral ecosystems, but there is evidence that higher oceanic temperatures have. Due to rising oceanic temperatures, the coral ecosystems have decreased by nearly half. If this restoration is not completed, then coral reefs will continue to be depleted.  Directories / Credits  Citation No. 1: “New data suggests Victoria Harbour is B.C. coast's dirtiest body of water”, Written by Unknown, & Published on February 7th, 2018. Published by CTV News. Retrieval Date: August 18th, 2023.  https://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/mobile/new-data-suggests-victoria-harbour-is-b-c-coast-s-dirtiest-body-of-water-1.3794385 Citation No. 2: “Coral”, Written by Bud, Published by at an Unknown Date. Published by GoHiking. Retrieval Date: August 18th, 2023.  https://gohiking.ca/animals/fish/coral/ Citation No. 3: “Eelgrass & Kelp Mapping & Monitoring”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Mid Vancouver Island Habitat Enhancement Society (MVIHES). Retrieval Date: August 18th, 2023.  https://www.mvihes.bc.ca/current-initiatives/58-eelgrass-mapping Citation No. 4: “Algae”, Written by Bud, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by GoHiking. Retrieval Date: August 18th, 2023.  https://gohiking.ca/plants/coastal-plants/algae/   Citation No. 5: “Welcome to the Salish Sea!”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Eagle Wing Tours.  Retrieval Date: August 18th, 2023.  https://www.eaglewingtours.com/marine-mammals-guide/ Citation No. 6: “The North Island Explorer’s Guide to Vancouver Island’s Marine Life”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the North Island Explorer.  http://northislandexplorer.com/marinelifeguide.htm Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast StemScribe Our Loyal Patrons Ms. Paloma Rodriguez Ochoa

Ode To Oceanography: A Vintage Nautical Chart Of Delaware Bay  This is the sixteenth article in our Ode to Oceanography Series. This series will publish on the 15th of every month, until we run out of antique nautical maps to analyze, though that will not be for many decades. Once that happens, we will keep the series running, but we will change the article format. In these articles, will take an antique nautical map & analyze it in its entirety. These maps will not strictly be on open oceanic waters, they may be on rivers or occasionally, bays. We will also discuss the methods that may have been used to make the map, considering the time period, & the country of origin. These maps will come from a variety of sources, though they will mainly come from Maps Of Antiquity, a wonderful New England map shop. These maps will come from varying time periods, & will not be in any particular historical order. Today’s map, is a vintage map of Delaware Bay, located in the Northeast of the United States. The bay of Delaware is a body of water in between the state of Delaware, & New Jersey. It is approximately 782 square miles in area, & is composed of both saltwater & freshwater. The map is in fantastic condition, with very little yellowing, folds, or damage. The chart is approximately 37 inches tall, & 30.6 inches wide. In this article we will discuss the map itself, the translation of certain sections of the map, & analyze this antique nautical map. With that being said let us delve into the serene area of Delaware Bay.  The Chart Itself As map is in English, there is no need for translation. The chart is centered around Delaware Bay. The map is coloured, with the land areas being coloured yellow or cream, while the areas with water are coloured white. The chart has much detail, with the names of various banks, rivers, & landmasses on it. Many terrestrial topographic features are also outlined. An Analysis Of The Chart This map was designed in 1926 by the United States Coastal & Geodetic Survey, one of the precursors to the National Atmospheric & Oceanic Administration. The United States Coastal & Geodetic Survey was the first scientific Agency made by the United States Government, established in 1807. The Agency was unfortunately abolished in 1970, when it was merged with several other agencies to create the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. The map is fairly accurate, with very few terrestrial or oceanic areas being left off. Although it was made for militaristic use, it was likely also used by civilians. It is not clear how this map was made, however the most likely method was Lithography. The lithographic method was most popular for map making between the early 1820’s, & the 1910’s. In the lithographic method, the artist will draw directly onto a printing surface, such as zinc, or copper, until they are satisfied with the drawing. After this, the surface will be covered with a chemical etch, which will bond it to the surface. With this process, the blank areas will attract moisture to the plate & repel the lithographic ink, while the areas that are drawn on will hold the ink. Water is then wiped onto the unpainted areas to help prevent the ink from deviating. After the map wanted is inked, the paper is laid over it & covered with a tympan, & the tympan is pressed down. Finally, these materials pass through the scraper bar of the litho press. Afterwards, an exact copy of whatever was supposed to be printed is revealed. Directories / Credits All credit for this map analyzed today goes to Maps Of Antiquity, a wonderful New England map shop. To purchase this map, any other maps, or any other cartographic objects, please visit mapsofantiquity.com . To be clear, this is not an advertisement for Maps Of Antiquity, as we do not have a partnership with them. Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast StemScribe Our Loyal Patrons Ms. Paloma Rodriguez Ochoa

On November 2nd, 2024, our head writer conducted an interview with Samantha-Lynn Martinez, a Marine Biologist, Naturalist, Videographer & Graphic Designer from Washington. Samantha-Lynn Martinez is currently a student at the University of Washington, & is working on her Bachelor’s Degree of Science. She is well known for her various design campaigns such as We Love You Puget Sound, numerous short films, & work with the NOAA & aboard the EV Nautilus. In today’s article, we ask her 26 intriguing questions, & get many incredible answers. Please note that all answers below have been edited for clarity, paraphrased, & are not necessarily reflections of the beliefs or teachings of our newsletter. With that being said, let us delve into the contents of the interview. The Contents Of The Interview Question No. 1: What sparked your interest in marine biology? I think my interest in marine biology started when I was very young, I grew up in the Philippines, & then moved to Seattle, Washington when I was about three or four, so I’ve always been near & around the ocean. I’ve always been very fascinated by the ocean, & knew it was somewhere I wanted to be. So much recreational joy comes from the water, such as going fishing, going swimming, & all that jazz, & I knew that working with the marine environment or animals is something that I wanted to do someday.  The Philippines is made up of about 7,000 islands, & so much of the economy is built on fishing industries & things that are related to the water. Similarly in Seattle, we have Pike Place Market is huge, & in their fish market, they are throwing the fish across the counters. Overall, the ocean has always been part of my life, & it’s been wonderful to see how that connects my two homes across the Pacific.  Question No. 2: Do you have a specific moment, person, or place that inspired you to pursue marine biology? Yeah! I think that growing up in Seattle, you find a lot of people working in the field of Marine Biology in many different ways. Honestly, I could pinpoint a lot of different people who have inspired me over the past few years. There is one show that I grew up watching called The Brain Scoop hosted by Emily Grassle, she’s an incredible science communicator. Seeing her YouTube videos come out has been incredibly influential to how I approach science communication nowadays, & I’ve been joking that it is my dream to become a miniature Emily Grassle or Bill Nye for marine biology. One of my other biggest sources of inspiration lately is Erin Rainey, a wildlife cinematographer. She works here in Washington & Alaska, & she’s incredible! She was a video engineer on the EV Nautilus before I even found out about the Deep-Sea Exploration aspect of Marine Biology, but that is another can of worms.  Question No. 3: Do you have a favorite marine animal or terrestrial animal?  That is an incredibly difficult question because I tend to become attached to certain species if I have a personal story involving them. If you’d asked me before this Summer I would have said Steller Sea Lions, as I worked with them on my internship in the Aleutian islands last year. That was a fantastic experience, I got to incorporate all of my previous knowledge into things, work on drone surveys & photo identification surveys, & work with the pups! They are so massive, & can weigh as much as a small car.  For a terrestrial animal, that would be very hard to choose because I have so many experiences & stories with terrestrial animals. Last summer, before I went back to school, I got to see many Grizzly Bears in Alaska, so I would say Grizzly Bears are very high on the list. Question No. 4: You have recently begun doing more work relating to birds, what interests you about birds & what is your favorite species? I’m very glad you brought that up, I’ve recently been having this sort of internal battle with myself as to whether or not I want to focus purely on Marine Biology or open myself up to other animals that I like, such as birds.  I love birds, growing up I had birds as pets & it was the coolest thing ever. I loved Rio as a child as well.  During the first year of my undergraduate degree, I was looking through my email list & saw that someone had emailed me about a project in the Biology department about Hummingbird Ecology. They needed someone to review footage of Hummingbirds in Columbia & design behavior charts based on them, & I joined them. I had to assign different behaviors to them depending on what they were doing & figure out the intervals that they would do them.  It was very interesting to see how video technology was used in that project especially, & I got to work with an amazing graduate student friend of mine, Alyssa Sargent. She helped me figure out which path I wanted to take, & made me realize I didn’t have to choose one option. Question No. 5: What attracts you to science communication, & what is your philosophy regarding science communication? Bill Nye & Emily Grassle certainly helped push me toward Science Communication. I loved how they made others feel comfortable being curious, & encouraged it.  On the EV Nautilus, the vessel I returned from not very long ago, they livestream ROV dives all the time & have everyone wear Microphones so you can hear their live reactions.  My big philosophy when it comes to science communication is to make people unafraid to ask questions because sometimes science can feel very gate-keep-y. It can feel incredibly intimidating to ask a question to a group of people who have all the answers, & almost like they don’t want you to ask the question. At the end of the day, it’s that kind of curiosity that keeps the momentum going in the world of science.  In any way shape or form, I’ve tried to continue doing science communication through media & technology.  Question No. 6: How did you end up studying at the University of Washington? It’s kind of a funny story. When I moved from the Philippines to the United States, my parents would host a lot of international exchange students who would go to the university. So we would spend every weekend doing touristy things around Seattle with a new student that my parents were hosting for the quarter, & take them to the university, so the university has kind of always been in my life. It was just chance & luck that the University happened to be one of the focal points for marine biology, & happened to have an immense amount of resources & wealth of knowledge.  I’m very in my element here, & it is fantastic to be conducting research in what is basically my backyard! It is also sort of the perfect place for me, as it is so close to home.  Question No. 7: How did you get involved in the eco-physics laboratory at the University of Washington & are you currently conducting research? The Eco-Physics laboratory was the laboratory with the Hummingbird Ecology Research! As mentioned before, I worked with them in my first year as an undergraduate, & am still working with them as well as Alyssa on some more hummingbird research.  Question No. 8: What is your involvement in the University of Washington Annual Aquatic Open House Event, & how do you contribute to the event? We hold the Aquatic Open House Event Annually with the School of Aquatic & Fisheries Sciences. It’s wonderful to be working with this university & school because they are very outwardly encouraging of both formal & informal education about marine biology.  We organize a bunch of laboratories to have small workstations or tables at the event, & it is a community event. Some will organize small fake tide pools, while others will bring in miniature ROVs. One of my favorite parts about it is doing the chalk work on the South Campus, we need to lay the groundwork for where the check-in point is, & where the various stations are. I also do large chalk drawings, & draw these massive portraits of marine animals. Many children & their families come to the event & explore the world of aquatic & marine sciences.  I came here as a high-schooler, & remember it very well. Ultimately, it does have a very big impact on some people’s lives & it is a very special thing to be a part of. Question No. 9: What did you do in your role aboard the recent August-September EV Nautilus Mission in Samoa? How were you selected, & what was a day in the program like?   I recently came back from an expedition in American Samoa - which if you're unfamiliar with that imagine the intersection between New Zealand & Hawaii. It was a very fun & fulfilling expedition, & a massive full-circle moment for me. I remember watching live streams from the EV Nautilus as a teenager, & thinking about how interesting of a job that would be.  One of my close friends informed me of the opening of a Deep Sea Video Operator position on board, & told me that I should apply for it. So I did! I spent the most amazing magical 5 weeks out at sea. I got to work with some of the coolest scientists, & work with cutting-edge technology. It was very enjoyable to be a part of that. A day on board was very interesting because occasionally you don’t even know what day it is due to the shift changes.  The boat was operational 24 hours a day, & each crew member would have 4 hours of working, then 8 hours off, then 4 hours working, then 8 hours off again. So for me, my day would begin just before noon! I would wake up at around 11:30, which is Lunchtime for everyone on board. After waking up, I would get ready & into some warm comfortable clothing, because by the time noon hits, I have to start my day as a Deep Sea Video Operator. At around noon, I would trot up to our control room, & check on the ROVs, which stands for Remotely Operated Vehicles. I am not physically in any of the vehicles, however I am operating them from the control room. I like to say that it is like a video game! I control the direction that the camera is pointed in, the amount of light that is fed through the camera, & almost every aspect of the vehicle. It’s very tedious, almost like you are DJing. I would be in that chair from Noon to 4:00 PM, then do a shift change, & pass over responsibilities to the person relieving me.  Once I come out of the control room, I usually get a snack or socialize, then occupy myself until dinnertime. At dinner, I will chow down very quickly, then go up to the control van & relieve the new person of their duties so they can also have dinner. Question No. 10: How did you become an intern for the NOAA Marine Mammal Laboratory?  I got to do the internship through this very cool partnership between the NOAA’s Alaska Department Of Fisheries Science Center & the University of Washington. The internship was explicitly only offered to University of Washington Students. Some internships are blasted out to people across the world, which can make the application process feel very scary, however with this, it felt a lot less intimidating. It was a phenomenal time, it was my first time properly going out on a research vessel. It was interesting to learn how to deal with the challenges of being in a remote research station, & dealing with things such as lack of wifi, & only being surrounded by my science crew. I was surrounded by some of the most beautiful wildlife ever. It was amazing to really through myself into the deep end, literally.  Very few people are in that area other than researchers or commercial fishermen. Question No. 11: What did you do in your capacity as an intern with the NOAA? I worked on drone surveys, photo identification, & on a research vessel studying Steller Sea Lions. Question No. 12: How did you begin Puget Sound Live!, & who are your collaborators? What exactly does the project do & what are its goals? It’s funny that you mention that, because Puget Sound Live was an attempt at doing what the EV Nautilus Does, however at a much smaller scale, & in Washington. It was started by me & a very awesome friend of mine, Drew Collins. He is a marine scientist as well as an underwater photographer native to Washington. He reached out to me just before I had graduated High School, & pitched me the idea for the project. Puget Sound Live has divers, such as Drew, dive into Puget Sound while having a microphone, & being live-streamed while they do so. I was the person top side, who was in the boat. I managed the live streams & interactions between the audience & the divers. Question No. 13: What was your appearance on HiHo’s Children Meet a marine biologist episode, do you mind explaining what you did? Yeah! So recently HiHo Kids had an open call for someone who was a marine biologist in the Seattle Area.  One of my close colleagues who I had worked with at the Seattle Aquarium told me about the opening, & told me that I should apply. Originally one of my other friends wanted to do this, however, his schedule did not align unfortunately. So he shuttled all the information over to me, & I applied! It honestly feels like a fever dream now, I was originally worried that they would want someone more established in their career.  I didn’t hear back from the production company for a few months, however, eventually, they called me & said that they wanted to have me as the main host for the episode. I got permission to borrow some specimens from the Burke Museum, wrapped them in Bubble Wrap, & headed down to the studio for a day & taught these children about fish!  Question No. 14: What would you say was one of the largest struggles or hurdles that you have encountered in your career? That is a great question, I would say managing my time & learning to not over-commit myself. Our Field of work is so spontaneous & so much of the work is seasonal, that when you have multiple positions that you wish to have at once, you have to learn to not overcommit yourself.  This past spring I was at a field station for marine biology for 10 weeks, where I ate, slept, & breathed marine biology for my entire day. I went into it thinking that I could keep up my other outside commitments, however I was extremely wrong. I hurt myself, & many of my big network relationships. That is something that still haunts me. The moment that I realized that I was not fine, & that I did need help, hit me like a truck.  Question No. 15: What would you say is the most difficult thing for new marine biologists or marine ecologists? I think that in the first few years, you have to learn to overcome your imposter syndrome about getting into the industry. Tell yourself that you are fully capable of achieving your goals, & give yourself grace. Additionally, It is alright for your life plan to change from quarter to quarter or semester to semester, as you are still learning & figuring your career out!  Also, Sometimes you have to be the first one to take a jab at things, even if there is no application for something, consider shooting a cold email.  Question No. 16: What is your favorite kind of camera to use underwater? I use a Sony A7 as my primary camera, I’m trying to get underwater housing for it. It’s mildly annoying that if you don’t set things up properly, saltwater can flood your camera & destroy it.  Question No. 17: What attracts you to photography & videography? I think that it is just the fact that videography & photography is the most authentic way to capture the world. It is an incredibly important tool for science communication & showcases what is going on in real-time in the world around you. It is something that can make people interested in what you are doing like you can take a mushroom & make it look like the most beautiful glorious thing ever.  It’s a wonderful tool if you know how to balance the aesthetics & creative side of things, with the education & recording aspect.  Question No. 18: What is your favorite photograph that you have taken, & what is your favorite kind of animal to photograph? Honestly, I don’t know if I have a favorite photograph. When I took my camera up to the Aleutian Islands last summer, there were so many opportunities to film. I got to film a stellar sea lion & her pup, & just watch them interact for a long time. I believe one of them is on the front page of my website.  I also love photographing birds, especially hummingbirds. They are a very easy photo subject as they are everywhere, & they are very mobile. In terms of what my favorite animals to photograph are, birds are a very, very close second. Question No. 19: What was your inspiration for your short film “Behind The Waves: The Importance of Plankton”, & how did you make it?  I made Behind The Waves towards the end of my high school career, while volunteering at the Seattle Aquarium. My boss suggested that we do a 24-hour youth-a-thon in which anyone from around the world could contribute an hour’s worth of oceanic content, & they offered us a spot to contribute an hour’s length film.  So I & the other youth volunteers at the aquarium teamed up to make an hour-long film about the Importance of Plankton, & roped in a ton of educational elements. The cool thing about the film is that we did all of it, shot, edited, & published the film within two weeks. That includes recording time, animating parts of it, voiceovers, practically everything. Question No. 20: What is your latest film project?  I’m working on this Hummingbird research Documentary, the filming for it will take place in Columbia & filming will ideally begin in August 2025. There are talks of getting these expensive slow-motion cameras down there to capture these fast-paced animals in a new light. That is the big project that I am working on now.  The running title for it is “Hummingbird’s Eye View”, & there is going to be a lot of cool research equipment that we plan to test next summer. Apart from that, we want to focus on the scientists themselves working in their home base of Colombia. We want to show you that they are people too, & we want to show their stories. We want to tell stories about their families, & how they got involved in science. Scientists are people you know, we don’t just crunch numbers all day.  Question No. 21: How did you become interested in design & how did you begin doing graphic design commissions? I started designing these silly little club logos when I was in High School because there were a lot of clubs. Many wanted to create Instagram Accounts or have flyers, & on a whim, I thought “Hey, I like drawing”, & began designing things. Slowly my friends started picking up on it, & at first, I gave away designs for free, until many people were reaching out for custom designs. That slowly began to progress into legitimate commissions. During my first year of college, I jokingly brought in this pack of stickers that I had designed because we were doing a show & tell to a group of second graders, & everybody loved it.  My professor of that class, which was a class based around Science Communication, told me that one of the observatories that he was working with was turning 50 that year, & they wanted some sticker & merchandise designs for it. That was my first very large commission where I was being paid by a large organization. So that got me thinking, “What if I offered this as a service?”, & I started taking myself a little bit more seriously.  Question No. 22: How many commissions have you done, & what was the largest commission you have ever done? That’s a really good question because I don’t keep track of it well! I have probably worked on more projects than I can recall, from sticker designs to logos, & even branding packages. I honestly have no idea, however, I’m sure that it is an exponential amount. I think my biggest long-term project & is also my favorite project due to the personal connection that I have with it. One of my good old friends, Natalie, from way back in Middle School & Early High School had a YouTube channel that she started back then. She stuck with it through high school, & committed herself to it. She made these awesome cinematic short films about her life & her own coming-of-age story. We fell out of contact for a little while, until my first semester of college she contacted me. She told me that she was doing this short film series about renovating a vintage camper van & traveling across the country, & asked for my help on it. I absolutely wanted to, so she commissioned me to do the animations & merchandise for her short series.  It was one of the most meaningful projects that I have ever done because I met so many other amazing talented filmmakers & small business owners who were only 1 to 2 years older than me. It kind of burst open this whole community of YouTubers & people in the short film industry, & I’ve been super-close to many of them to this day. I’m actually meeting up with a few of them in December for my Birthday! It took nine months all said & done.  Question No. 23: What was the Puget Sound: We Love You campaign that you designed? So during the COVID-19 Pandemic, all the aquariums closed & we couldn’t do in-person stuff anymore. But that left a lot of people, including me, who were very used to in-person science communication, kind of lost. We were all wondering, “How do we continue the thing that we love now that there is COVID?”. The Aquarium pitched an idea to the Youth of the Aquarium to reactivate their Instagram Account, as it hadn’t been active for a few years. So, Puget Sound We Love You is kind of the Aquarium’s way of reintroducing us to Science Communication, & allowing us to explore things that we wouldn’t get to in an in-person setting. You are actually quite limited when it comes to in-person things, because who can come to our events? People who live nearby, have the means to get to us, & can afford a ticket. In doing Puget Sound We Love You, we opened the door for so many more people to interact with us. I ran Puget Sound We Love You with a team of 5 others for the first year, and then for the second year, I came back in a senior position.  Question No. 24: Do you have any final words or things to say about photography, design, science communication, or the ocean? Truly listen to what makes you tick about Science Communication, or whatever field gets you excited. Also, advocate for yourself, no matter where you are in your career.  Directories / Credits https://samanthalynnmartinez.com/ Strategic Partnerships  Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast StemScribe Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa

The Documented History Of The Isle Of Pines, New Caledonia, French Territory Today’s article will discuss the history of the Isle Of Pines, belonging to the French territory of New Caledonia. New Caledonia, is in the South Pacific just north of Brisbane, Australia. It is south of the country of Vanuatu, with its capital being “Noumea”. The Isle of Pines is south of mainland New Caledonia, & it has an approximate population of 2,000. It is approximately 26.91 nautical miles (30.967475 miles or 49.83732 kilometers) from mainland New Caledonia, 793.87 nautical miles (913.56928 miles or 1470.24724 kilometers) from Australia, & 3,784.67 nautical miles (4355.3204536 miles or 7009.20884 kilometers) from the mainland country of Malaysia. The island is famed for its beautiful coral reefs as it is surrounded by the New Caledonian Barrier Reef. It is also known for its beautiful forests of pine trees which contrast with the sea to make a beautiful landscape, which is the reason for its name. It is located in the commune of L'Île-des-Pins, which encompasses many islands, with The Isle of Pines being the largest. This Island has many interesting land, & marine flora, mainly due to its proximity to the New Caledonian Barrier Reef. Not only that, but the island has lush mangroves that directly connect lagoons & forests. The History Of The Isle Of Pines New Caledonia, French Territory Before Colonization By The French   History From 1500 B.C  There is evidence that the Lapita people either inhabited the island or were passing by in the year 1500 B.C. Evidence of their extremely distinct pottery style was found where nearby where the modern-day city of Vao. During the Lapita’s rule over the island, many migrants came from various other islands, & caused a diverse mix of cultures, thus giving birth to the Kanak Culture, as well as a few others. The Kanak are the most predominant modern ethnic group in New Caledonia to date. The Kanak Indigenous Peoples Culture has roots in the Lapita culture, however, it differs greatly from it. These Kanak people occupied the islands until the French government arrived on the island.  After Being Discovered By The French History From The 1700’s In the year 1774, Captain James Cook, the famed hydrographer, on his second voyage, went past the island & noted it down in his ship logs. He named it the “Isle of Pines”, as the most prominent feature of the island from afar is the large forest of pine trees, that contrast with the coast. He did not go ashore on the island himself, but he did see smoke coming from the island, so he rightly presumed that it was inhabited. This island would not be revisited until the 1800’s. After Colonization By The French   History From The 1800’s In the mid-1840s, Protestant & Catholic Missionaries arrived, in search of Sandalwood. This was a major selling point of the island, as Sandalwood can be used to make beautiful fragrances, as well as tables & such. In the year 1853, the French annexed the island, & it officially became French soil. In the year 1872, the island was officially turned into a Penal Colony, & at its peak had approximately 3,000 deportees.  History From The 1900’s  We unfortunately cannot find anything of major interest that happened in this century.  The Aboriginals Of The Isle Of Pines The Kanak Indigenous Peoples Of New Caledonia The Kanak Indigenous Peoples are the main ethnic group of New Caledonia. Currently, there are approximately 105,000 Kanak people or 41.2% of the total population. They originate from the Lapita, & various Polynesian migrants who came in during the early B.C. era. Currently, there are approximately 28 distinct languages spoken by the Kanak Indigenous Populations of New Caledonia. These languages are primarily spoken, & not written down usually. Unfortunately, at this time, there is extremely little information available about the Kanak culture. The Most Destructive Man-Caused & Natural Disasters To Affect The Isle Of Pines Disaster No. 1: Tropical Cyclone Erica  Tropical Cyclone Erica lasted from the 1st of March, 2003, to the 17th of March, 2003. The Cyclone peaked on March 12th, 2003. The island first made landfall in the Municipality of Iles Des Pins, close by to the Isle of Pines. It caused 2 fatalities, & left approximately 1,000 people without a home. It is estimated that during the storm, it left approximately 60% of the people on the western coast of Grand Terre without electricity. The highest wind speeds sustained for 1 minute were 240 kilometers per hour (149.129 miles per hour). The Cyclone mainly affected New Caledonia, The Solomon Islands, & Papua New Guinea. It left approximately 15 million dollars in damages.  Disaster No. 2: The Zika Virus Outbreaks Of 2013 to 2014 During the year 2013, the Zika Virus came from mainland Asia & infected New Caledonia, as well as the rest of French Polynesia. The outbreak lasted from approximately October of 2013 To April of 2014. In total, there were approximately 30,000 cases of the Zika virus in French Polynesia, although unfortunately, we were unable to determine how many of these cases were in New Caledonia. Additionally, only 8,477 cases were confirmed, so the numbers are not verified. The Zika virus is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito or transfusion of blood. It can also be transmitted through having sexual relations, or from a mother to her child while pregnant, which has been linked to birth defects. Once transferred the victim may experience eye redness, vomiting, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, joint pain, & headaches. It can on rare occasions cause muscle paralysis, & extremely rarely, death. Symptoms usually appear after 3-14 days, but those who contract this disease don’t always get symptoms. It can evolve into Guillain-Barré syndrome, which causes your immune system to attack your nervous system, although this usually happens with pregnant women & their babies.  The Economic State Of The Isle Of Pines Overall, the economic state of the Isle is decent. Unfortunately, there is extremely little data on the economic state of the Isle Of Pines. For this reason, we cannot properly evaluate the state of the economy on the Isle of Pines.  Directories / Credits Citation 1: “The Island’s History”, Written by Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by The Isle Of Pines. Retrieval Date: July 15th, of 2023. https://www.isle-of-pines.com/history.html Citation 2: “The History Of The Zika Virus” Written by Unknown, Published on February 7th, 2016. Published by the World Health Organization. Retrieval Date: July 15th, of 2023. https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/the-history-of-zika-virus Citation 3: “Zika Disease Infection Outbreak, French Polynesia”, Written by Unknown & Published on February 14th, 2014. Published by the European Center For Disease Prevention & Control. Retrieval Date: July 15th, of 2023. https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/media/en/publications/Publications/Zika-virus-French-Polynesia-rapid-risk-assessment.pdf Citation: “Transmission Dynamics of Zika Virus in Island Populations: A Modelling Analysis of the 2013–14 French Polynesia Outbreak” Written By Adam J. Kuchaski, Sebastian Funk, Rosalind M. Eggo, Henri-Pierre Mallet, W. John Edmunds, & Eric J. Nilles, Published Presumably after 2014. Published by the Public Library of Science. Retrieval Date: July 15th, of 2023. https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd . Citation 5: “Discover The Island Of Pines”, Written By Unknown, & Published on March 1st, Of 2018. Published by the My New Caledonia. Retrieval Date: July 15th, of 2023. https://www.mynewcaledonia.com.au/discover-isle-pines/ Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors Our Loyal Patrons Ms. Paloma Rodriguez Ochoa

Marine Biological Hall Of Distinction:  Melissa Cristina Marquez  This article is a part of our collection known as the Marine Hall Of Distinction. It is a different series from our main monthly series & has no connection to the main monthly series. In this special collection, we will discuss marine biologists who we feel have served marine biology & oceanography the most. We do this in order to commemorate these marine biologists & to show gratitude for everything they have contributed to our oceans. This collection has no relation to the main monthly series. This series is published on the 25th of every month, shortly after our article on the oceanic environment of a certain region on the 20th.  Today’s marine biologist is the astounding Melissa Cristina Marquez. Melissa Cristina Marquez is a Puerto Rican Marine Biologist, Children’s Book Author, Science Communicator, & Podcast Host. She is well known for her book series “Wild Survival!”, her podcast named ConCiencia Azul, & her impactful scientific work.  As of 2024, she has 5 published books, almost all of which are fiction & involve the ocean or wildlife. One of her most popular books, Mother of Sharks, follows her personal journey from a child who loved the ocean in Puerto Rico to a groundbreaking oceanic researcher in Australia. For this, she has earned the moniker “Mother of Sharks”.  As a Hispanic Marine Biologist, she wishes to promote intersectionality in science, & inspire people from all different backgrounds. One of her core principles is that quote “…All women of all backgrounds should have the freedom to live their lives as they choose.”  In this article, we are going to delve into the Formative Years & of Melissa Cristina Marquez, The Career of Melissa Cristina Marquez, & the Honorables, Awards, Accomplishments, & Achievements of Melissa Cristina Marquez. With that being said, let us delve into this magnificent shark biologist.  The Formative Years & Education Of Melissa Cristina Marquez  Melissa Cristina Marques was born in 1993, in Puerto Rico. Even as a child, she always has a fascination & enthusiasm for the ocean. Her passion for marine biology was sparked by watching documentaries about Sharks as a child, especially documentaries during Shark Week. Her childhood inspirations include Sylvia Earle, Eugenie Clark, & most strongly, David Attenborough.  She attended the New College of Florida for her Bachelor’s degree & the Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand for her Master’s Degree. As of 2024, she is at Curtin University, pursuing her Ph.D., & conducting research on Elasmobranches. The Career Of Melissa Cristina Marquez  In 2014, Marquez self-published her first book titled “Sharks, Skates, & Rays of Sarasota Bay, Florida”, which discussed the Chondrichthyans of Sarasota Bay.  While filming an episode for Shark Week, she was unfortunately attacked by a Shark. It seems that she has recovered, & didn’t sustain any critical injuries.  In 2021, she published the first 2 books in her Wild Survival Series, with the first book being titled “Crocodile Rescue”, & the second being titled “Swimming With Sharks”. The same year she visited Perth, Australia, to give a Ted Talk about Sharks & Female Scientists. This speech can be found on the official Ted Talk YouTube channel.  She added the third installment to the Wild Survival series in 2022, & has yet to add any more books. Her most famous book, Mother of Sharks, was published in 2023, chronicling her journey from a child who loved the ocean to a marine biologist.  Her latest book, Sea Of Constellations, was published in 2024, & is a picture book that follows a young girl Maren & her whale Shark friend embarking on a quest to bring light back to the ocean. As of 2024, she is working on research about Elasmobranches in Sydney, Australia. She is also co-hosting the podcast ConCiencia Azul, which is a podcast that interviews Spanish & Hispanic scientists about marine life, & the unique struggles of various Hispanic countries.  Her contributions to marine biology are immense, & continue to be relevant as well as impactful. She frequently publishes short ocean-oriented videos or posts on her social media platforms, most of which can be found at “@melissacristinamarquez”. The Honorables, Awards, Achievements, & Accomplishments Of Melissa Cristina Marquez She has a fiction book series involving marine animals & terrestrial animals called “Wild Survival!”, with 3 books currently. These books are, in order of publication “Crocodile Rescue (Wild Survival #1)”, “Chasing Jaguars (Wild Survival #2)”, & “Swimming With Sharks (Wild Survival #3). She has published 2 other stand-alone books, both being fiction & involving the ocean.  She is an active contributor to Forbes in the Science sector.  She gave the TED Talk “Sharks & Female Scientists: More Alike Then You Think”, at the Perth Ted x Youth conference in 2021.  She created a series of lessons known as the Fins United Initiative Lesson Plans, with the goal of increasing knowledge & interest in Chondrichthyans. Directories / Credits Citation No. 1: “Meet Melissa Marquez, a shark scientist passionate about the diverse representation of sharks, their relatives, and the scientists that study them!”, Written by Melissa Marquez, & Published on June 27th, 2017. Published by The Female Scientist Magazine. Retrieval Date: September 9th, 2024. https://thefemalescientist.com/portrait/melissa-marquez/1048/meet-melissa-marquez-a-shark-scientist-passionate-about-the-diverse-representation-of-sharks-their-relatives-and-the-scientists-that-study-them/ Citation No. 2:  “Melissa Cristina Marquez: Marine Biologist & Shark Expert”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Ted & Kingspark. Retrieval Date: September 9th, 2024. https://tedxkingspark.org/person/melissa-cristina-marquez/ Citation No. 3: “Melissa Cristina Marquez”, Written by Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Homeward Bound Projects. Retrieval Date: September 9th, 2024. https://homewardboundprojects.com.au/profile/melissa-cristina-marquez/ Citation No. 4: “Author Feature: Melissa Cristina Marquez”, Written by Isabel Rodriguez, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by FEMINIST. Retrieval Date: September 9th, 2024. https://www.feminists.co/discover/author-feature-melissa-cristina-mrquez Citation No. 5: “Melissa Marquez”, Written by Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Australian Academy of Science. Retrieval Date: September 9th, 2024. https://www.stemwomen.org.au/profile/melissa-marquez Citation No. 6: “Melissa Cristina Marquez”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Forbes. Retrieval Date: September 9th, 2024. https://www.forbes.com/sites/melissacristinamarquez/ Citation No. 7: “Meet the Shark-a-holic: Melissa Cristina Marquez”, Written by Poornima Peiris, & Published on July 12th, 2018. Published by the Scientista Foundation. Retrieval Date: September 9th, 2024. http://www.scientistafoundation.com/women-in-science-news/meet-the-shark-a-holic-melissa-cristina-marquez Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast StemScribe Our Loyal Patrons  Ms. Paloma Rodriguez Ochoa

The Oceans Surrounding The Isle Of Pines, New Caledonia, French Territory  Today's Article will discuss the Oceans Surrounding The Isle of Pines, New Caledonia. New Caledonia, is in the South Pacific just north of Brisbane, Australia. It is south of the country of Vanuatu, with its capital being “Noumea”. The Isle of Pines is south of mainland New Caledonia, & it has an approximate population of 2,000. It is approximately 26.91 nautical miles (30.967475 miles or 49.83732 kilometers) from mainland New Caledonia, 793.87 nautical miles (913.56928 miles or 1470.24724 kilometers) from Australia, & 3,784.67 nautical miles (4355.3204536 miles or 7009.20884 kilometers) from the mainland country of Malaysia. Malaysia seems to be the closest mainland country to this island.  The island is famed for its beautiful coral reefs as it is surrounded by the New Caledonian Barrier Reef, as well as its excellent hiking trails. It is also known for its beautiful forests of pine trees which contrast with the sea to make a beautiful landscape, which is the reason for its name. It is located in the commune of L'Île-des-Pins, which encompasses many islands, with The Isle of Pines being the largest. This Island has many interesting land, & marine flora, mainly due to its proximity to the New Caledonian Barrier Reef. Not only that, but the island has lush mangroves that directly connect lagoons & forests. This makes it so that the clash of terrain can accommodate a wide variety of creatures, that it ordinarily would not be able to host. Many of these creatures are endemic or rare, making the Isle of Pines especially unique. Additionally, Since The Isle of Pines is in the southern Pacific, it is in one of the most tropical places on Earth. This isle has approximately 56 Kilometers of Coastline, which is not all documented. Certain parts of the wilderness have not been explored on this island, leaving the possibility for unknown species. In this article, we will discuss the Salinity, Tides, Temperatures, & Marine Geography, of the island, the most prominent ecosystems of the island, The documented marine flora & Fauna, & Finally how the Marine Resources of the island have been used, & how ocean acidification has affected the island. With that being said, let us delve into The Isle Of Pines.  The Salinity, Tides, Temperatures, Marine Geography, & Basic Information Of The Isle Of Pines, New Caledonia  Unfortunately, the exact salinity of The Isle of Pines or New Caledonia has never been measured. Since The Isle of Pines rests in the Pacific Ocean, it has a lesser salinity than the Atlantic. Salt deposits or brine pools have not been proven to be found around the island in higher concentrations than other areas. However, this could change. Since the average salinity of the water in the southwestern Pacific is 35 parts per thousand at any given time, it can be assumed that the salinity level is somewhere around that. Salinity is measured in 1,000 grams. For every 1000 grams of water, there will be a certain number of grams that are pure salt. This is the way that salinity is currently measured. There are no external factors currently that seem to be affecting the salinity either. The tidal charts of this island can be found on surprisingly few amount of websites, & the most user-friendly are https://www.tideschart.com , https://www.seatemperatu.re , & https://surf-reports.com . The Sea Temperature charts are also accessible at https://www.seatemperatu.re . The average yearly temperature is 24.9° Celsius (76.82° Fahrenheit). The high tide seems to never go over approximately 1.8 meters (5.90551 feet). The island is safe to swim around, with Oro Bay being the most attractive spot to do so on the island. A wetsuit is not needed to comfortably swim around the island. The water is clear & pristine, & free from pollutants. Eco-tourism is a massive industry on the island because of this lagoon, along with its astounding natural beauty. There are very few forming currents, & riptide is not common. This makes the island very safe, but you should always check for warnings from the French Coast Guard just to be safe. Many water-based activities such as kayaking, snorkeling, swimming, & wildlife watching are very accessible on the island, though this is not a very good place for surfing due to how small the waves are. The deepest oceanic point currently known to man within 5 nautical miles (5.7539 miles or 9.26 kilometers) of the island is 656.2 feet deep. There are very few oceanic mounds, & the lagoon is rather shallow making that virtually impossible. The oceanic floor of the island usually will consist of Sand, Rock, or most often, Coral. The island is not itself a part of the Natural Park of the Coral Sea, however, it is close to it. The Natural Park of the Coral Sea is the 5th largest marine protected area in the world & it is located around the greater New Caledonian area. The island is in the center of this marine park, but it is not a part of it. There is much government research going on due to the presence of the marine park, & many different stations to monitor various aspects of the marine environment.  The Most Prominent Marine Ecosystems Of The Isle Of Pines, New Caledonia  Ecosystem No. 1: Mangrove Forests As of 2024, there are Mangrove Forests found on all sides of the island. A mangrove forest is a place where the ocean, & the tree line meet, & saltwater mixes with the freshwater. This creates a mix of terrains, in which the salt water is interacting with the forest. Often, there will be some sort of stream, or river that will take saltwater further into the forest. In these forests, the trees will grow so that their roots elevate them out of the water, creating a cage-like underwater environment for species to thrive in. These mangrove forests are not restricted to any one area, but the most pristine mangrove areas are in the northern, & northeastern areas of the island. This ecosystem is considered one of, if not the most important ecosystem on the island. There currently is little to no data as to what creatures are found specifically in this ecosystem. Additionally, there is no data on the designated mangrove forests on the island. This is a very closed-off area, where animals usually live in instead of passing through it. Currently, 2 known species of mangrove trees grow in these forests. These mangrove trees are known as Rhizophora samoensis (Samoan Mangrove), & Avicennia Marina (Grey / White Mangrove). However, since there is such little data on the mangrove forests of the Isle of Pines, we may discover more species shortly.  Ecosystem No. 2: Rocky Lagoons & Caverns There is a massive lagoon on the Isle of Pines, which caused this kind of ecosystem to be formed. This type of ecosystem is most commonly found in the deeper area of the lagoon, which has little to no coral. In these areas, there are often small to mid-sized rock formations for animals to hide in. These areas are usually just a passing zone, & most creatures don’t live in these areas. Occasionally seagrass may grow here, but that is semi-unusual. These areas are usually the farthest from the coastline as well. Ecosystem No. 3: Fringing Coral Reefs Due to the Climate of the Isle of Pines, the coast of the island is covered in coral. These coral reefs are known as Fringing Coral Reefs, not barrier reefs. These Fringing coral reefs are found most commonly in the lagoons of the Isle of Pines & within proximity to the coast. Coral reefs tend to be found 3-50 feet deep, though they can be found deeper. These coral reefs usually are used as breeding grounds, hunting grounds, & fish nurseries of sorts. This type of ecosystem is incredibly common around the island, & is found on all sides of the island. Unfortunately, there is no data on what species of coral are found on the Isle of Pines, but there is data on the species of coral found on New Caledonia as a whole. This ecosystem is extremely important to the biodiversity of the island because it provides the most biodiversity of any ecosystem on the island.  The Documented Marine Flora Of The Isle Of Pines, New Caledonia  Unfortunately, data on all of the island's seagrasses are not available yet in the public domain. Currently, there are approximately 12 documented seagrass species on the main New Caledonian Island of Grand Terre. It is unknown whether or not all 12 of these seagrasses are found around the island as of now. As stated in the subsection titled “Ecosystem No. 1 Mangrove Forests”, there are currently 2 species of native Mangrove Tree. These species are Rhizophora samoensis (Samoan Mangrove), & Avicennia Marina (Grey / White Mangrove). There is no current data on the number of species of algae, or the kind of algae found around the isle. Surprisingly, a kind of beach flower known as Melanthera Biflora (Sea Daisy), is known to commonly grow on the island. Generally, there is just little to no data on what kind of marine flora are found on the island. The Documented Marine Fauna Of The Isle Of Pines, New Caledonia  The Isle of Pines is extremely biodiverse when it comes to marine creatures. The reason for this is due to their unique clash of terrain, their wonderful climate, & their large amount of plankton & nutrients. Additionally, the New Caledonian government outlawed single-use plastic bags, which helped to improve the quality of the oceanic water, to reduce pollution. Many animals will migrate throughout Oceania, & stop in the Isle of Pines & Surrounding New Caledonian, so the populations of certain creatures will vary throughout the year. Even though the marine creatures are flourishing, many conservation efforts are being made by both the New Caledonian government & locals. These efforts are largely centered on the coral reefs & the mangrove forests. Now, for this article, we will not include nudibranchs, sea slugs, sea snails, planktons, lichens, sea worms, or sea urchins, as there are just too many of them. With that being said, the list of all the most prominent species currently found around The Isle Of Pines is as follows: Hippocampus Spinosissimus (Hedgehog Seahorse), Osteohinchus Neotes (Miniature Cardinal-fish), Chrysiptera Leucopoma (Pacific Surge Demoiselle), Chromis Ternatensis (Ternate Chromis), Iracandus Signifer (Decoy Scorpionfish), Mahidolia Mystacina (Smiling Goby), Xiphophorus Hellerii (Green Swordfish), Charybdis Hellerii (Indo-Pacific Swimming Crab), Ablabys Taenianotus (Cockatoo Waspfish), Pentapodus Caninus (Canine-toothed Midwater Bream), Pomacentrus Imitator (Imitator Damsel), Stenella Longirostris (Spinner Dolphin), Tursiops Aduncus (Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin), Tursiops Truncatus (Common Bottlenose Dolphin), Arctocephalus Fosteri (New Zealand Fur Seal), Orcinus Orca (Orca / Killer Whale), Dugong Dugon (Dugong), & finally,  Megaptera Novaeangliae (Humpback Whale).  How The Oceanic Resources Of The Isle Of Pines Have Been Utilized & How Ocean Acidification Has Affected The Island  The marine resources of the Isle of Pines, have most often been used for ecological tourism. Fishing isn’t very common in the Isle of Pines, or New Caledonia for that matter. Mostly, the marine landscapes are used for ecological tourism. Ecological tourism is touring for the specific purpose of seeing the environment of the island, such as touring for the specific purpose of snorkeling. That is one form of ecological tourism. Ocean acidification does affect the island, specifically the coral reefs of the island. Ocean acidification is caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.  Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have increased, largely because of human-caused burning of fossil fuels, & deforestation, for the past 150 years.  When carbon dioxide contacts sea water, it forms carbonic acid.  Carbonic acid gives off positive H+ ions, which causes increased oceanic H+ concentrations & decreased oceanic Ph. The decreased oceanic Ph causes the coral to bleach, which in turn causes a decrease in biodiversity, & a decrease in nutrients. If we do not monitor ocean acidification, it could have devastating consequences.  Directories / Credits   Citation No. 1: “Mangrove Plants”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by newcaledoniaplants.com . Retrieval Date: July 5th, 2023.  https://newcaledoniaplants.com/plant-catalog/mangrove-plants/ Citation No. 2: “Where We Work: New Caledonia”, Written By Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Dugong & Seagrass Hub. Retrieval Date: July 5th, 2023.  https://www.dugongseagrass.org/where-we-work/new-caledonia/ Citation No. 3: “New Caledonia”, Written by Many, Published at various times. Published by iNaturalist. Retrieval Date: July 5th, 2023.  https://www.inaturalist.org/places/new-caledonia Citation No. 4: “Act in New Caledonia”, Written by Unknown, Published on the 27th of March, 2019. Published by Race For Our Water. Retrieval Date: July 5th, 2023.  https://www.raceforwater.org/en/news/act-in-new-caledonia/ Strategic Partnerships  Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast StemScribe Our Loyal Patrons  Ms. Paloma Rodriguez Ochoa

Ode To Oceanography: An Antique Nautical Chart Of Cape Cod This is the sixteenth article in the Ode to Oceanography series. This series will publish on the 15th of every month, until we run out of antique nautical maps to analyze, though that will not be for many decades. Once that happens, we will keep the series running, but we will change the article format. In these articles, will take an antique nautical map & analyze it in its entirety. These maps will not strictly be on open oceanic waters, they may be on rivers or occasionally, bays. We will also discuss the methods that may have been used to make the map, considering the time period, & the country of origin. These maps will come from a variety of sources, though they will mainly come from Maps Of Antiquity, a wonderful New England map shop. These maps will come from varying time periods, & will not be in any particular historical order. Today’s map, is an antique map of Cape Cod. Cape Cod is a cape along the southern coast of Massachusetts, a state located in the north east area of the United States. It is approximately 70 miles in length, & extends 65 miles away from Massachusetts into the Atlantic Ocean. The map is in excellent condition, with all information clear & visible, & there being very few signs of damage. The map is approximately 29 inches tall, by 35 inches wide.  In this article we will discuss the map itself, the translation of certain sections of the map, & analyze this antique nautical map. With that being said let us delve into the tranquil area of Cape Cod. The Map Itself As the Map is in English, there is no need for translation. The map is uncoloured, & has many terrestrial topographic features outlined. The chart is incredibly detailed, &  has the name of many small villages & towns that are located along Cape Cod outlined on it. It is centered around the cape itself. It does have some information regarding tides on it, along with information concerning the oceanic depths near Cape Cod. An Analysis Of The Map This map was designed & created in 1836, based off of information collected in 1833 & 1835. The chart was designed by the United States Topographical Engineers, a branch of the United States Military which officially existed from 1838 to 1863. The map was likely produced in New York State, as this is where many of the Topographical Engineers were located at the time. The map encompasses the entirety of Cape Cod, Cape Cod Harbour, & Provincetown. At the time, it was designed for use military use, specifically use by the Army & the Navy. The map does not have a particular name, & does not seem to be a part of any collection. This map was most certainly made via the lithographic process, due to its maker, & the time that it was manufactured in. The lithographic method was most popular for map making between the early 1820’s, & the 1910’s. In the lithographic method, the artist will draw directly onto a printing surface, such as zinc, or copper, until they are satisfied with the drawing. After this, the surface will be covered with a chemical etch, which will bond it to the surface. With this process, the blank areas will attract moisture to the plate & repel the lithographic ink, while the areas that are drawn on will hold the ink. Water is then wiped onto the unpainted areas to help prevent the ink from deviating. After the map wanted is inked, the paper is laid over it & covered with a tympan, & the tympan is pressed down. Finally, these materials pass through the scraper bar of the litho press. Afterwards, an exact copy of whatever was supposed to be printed is revealed. Directories / Credits All credit for this map analyzed today goes to Maps Of Antiquity, a wonderful New England map shop. To purchase this map, any other maps, or any other cartographic objects, please visit mapsofantiquity.com . To be clear, this is not an advertisement for Maps Of Antiquity, as we do not have a partnership with them. Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast StemScribe Our Loyal Patrons Ms. Paloma Rodriguez Ochoa

On October 7th, 2024, our head writer conducted an interview with esteemed Cuttlefish Cephalopod & Visual Ecology Researcher, Dr. Lydia Mäthger. Lydia Mäthger is a German Cephalopod Researcher, Professor, & Children’s Book Author. She’s well known for her work with Squid & Octopus, Visual Ecology, & research at the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Her personal website can be found at lydiamaethger.com . In this interview, we ask 21 insightful questions to Dr. Mäthger, & get equally insightful & intriguing answers. Please note that all answers below are not direct quotations, & have been edited for clarity. With that being said, let us delve into the contents of the interview. The Contents of The Interview 1: What sparked your interest in biology in general? It goes right back to when I was a kid, I basically at a very young age seemed to have known what I wanted to do. My mother told me that at the age of 5, that my dream was to become a zoologist. I’m German, & at the time that I was growing up there were 2 very well-known zoologists who were working as a father-son team, & had a TV show, so occasionally I would hear about them. That is why I wanted to become a Zoologist. I kind of stayed true to that dream & by the time I went to high school, I continued with Biology.  I ended up going to England for my undergraduate degree in Zoology.  2: What led you to marine biology? I was led down the path mainly by the people around me. I kept on meeting & interacting with people in the field, & before I knew it, I was doing my Ph.D. at a marine laboratory in England. While doing my undergraduate, one of my professors was John Messenger, & he was a very well-known scientist in the Cephalopod Biology realm. I met him through an undergraduate course, & then did a sort of undergraduate thesis with him. I got hooked on cephalopods that way, & he ended up being one of my Ph.D. advisors! The other advisor was Sir Eric Denton, who was also very well-known in marine biology. So that is how I ended up getting into marine biology.  3: Do you have a favorite oceanic creature or terrestrial creature? If so, what are they? I have to say, it would probably be the color-changing animals. It would have to be the color-changing Squid or Octopus. On land, it would also be the color-changing animals you know, the reptiles, & amphibians—those kinds of creatures. 4: What is your favorite species of Cuttlefish, & what is your favorite attribute of Cuttlefish? That’s very hard. I’d say Sepia Officinalis, just because I know so much about them. There are some very cool cuttlefish out there too, like the Flamboyant Cuttlefish, but I’d have to say Sepia Officinalis. Questions About Her Research In General: 5: How did you begin your career as a marine biologist?  Essentially, when you study whatever it is as an undergraduate, you become interested in a particular direction. I was led into academia at an early point in my undergraduate career by meeting people such as John Messenger. As a Ph.D student, you aren’t necessarily signing your life away to academia, some people get their Ph.D.s & go into teaching or industry, so you don’t have to stay in academia or research. I got my Ph.D at a laboratory dedicated to pure research, called the Marine Biological Association. There is not much teaching, they do run courses every once in a while, however, it is not a teaching institution. So, I was inspired by the people doing pure research, & that is how I discovered my passion for research. From there I went to Australia, & did two post-doctoral fellowships. 6: How many institutions did you work with in your career? I didn’t move around all that much! I did my undergraduate degree at Sheffield University in the UK, & my Ph.D. work was done at the Marine Biological Association as a joint degree with Sheffield University. After my Ph.D., I left for Australia.  I worked at the University of Queensland in an interesting institution that doesn’t exist anymore. There was a center at the time called the Vision, Touch, & Hearing Research Center, & it was led by some really amazing scientists in the field of vision. During my time there I worked with Justin Marshall, a very famous neuroscientist & ecologist. From there, I came to the United States & worked at the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole where I stayed for almost 20 years. I am now primarily teaching courses at Roger Williams University, in Rhode Island.  7: How did you get attracted to the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole? To tell you the truth, I was trying to stay in Australia, however funding wasn’t available. Roger Hanlon, another fantastic cephalopod biologist, had been watching my career unfold, & offered me a job, & I took it! I came to the United States without knowing very much about Woods Hole.  8: What were your first & last research projects? My first research project, my very first project was as an undergraduate looking at Zebrafish, for my undergraduate project with John Messenger. I believe we were testing them on learning and memory, & behavior, specifically spatial learning by putting them in very simple mazes. Unfortunately, I don’t recall it all that well. My first real research project was looking at Squid, with Eric Denton in Plymouth.  For my very last research project, I am currently working with a student at Roger Williams studying colorblindness in Peppermint Shrimp.  9: Do you have a most memorable moment from your career as a marine biologist? I had one thing jump into my head instantly when you asked that! My most memorable moment was probably while doing research on an island off the coast of Australia, called Stradbroke Island. One of my favorite colleagues that I have had who also was an examiner for my thesis, is Mike Land – he was one amazing and well-respected scientist – was on sabbatical when I started my post-doctoral fellowship in Brisbane. I worked with him for 3 months while he was there. The two of us were standing at this tank after being out on the boat all day & collecting specimens, & we were looking at these fish called Paradise Whiptails. It was late in the evening after we had all had dinner, & both of us at the same time looked at each other & said “Did you see that?!”. These fish were changing color right before us! So we stared at the fish for a while, & that led to a paper.  This goes back to one of the key principles of science, which is that we have to observe the world around us. Nothing beats going back to basics, & making observations when you are a scientist. I’m currently homeschooling my son & we recently came back from the beach, & collected a few crabs. He was observing them, & sure enough he was coming up with questions.  10: What attracts you to Visual Ecology & Camouflage? That was my time in Australia, as I was surrounded by Visual Ecologists. 11: What did you study in Cuttlefish? I primarily studied their color-changing attributes, & their eyes.  12: What was your work concerning birds & insects? We did some work on Birds of Paradise feathers, however unfortunately nothing got published on that. We collected a lot of data though. The same goes for insects, I always use bird feathers & insects in my teaching, especially with children. You can always use them to demonstrate pigmentation, & structural coloration principles.  Questions About Outreach With Schools & Local Programs: 13: How did you get the idea to do outreach with Schools? I think when your field is that specific it’s difficult to do continuous outreach. I think it's primarily because of my children, while communicating with them & their school teachers I realized that other people were interested in it. It's a subject that is so suited to visual learning & hands-on activities, which makes it easier to teach to children. There is an island just off the coast of Woods Hole, Penikese Island, & I have taught there almost every summer since the program started. I have also taught down in the Caribbean with places that have one-off programs.  14:  If there is one thing or group of things you wish to have children know about Visual & Sensory Ecology, what is that thing? Every organism that has eyes sees everything differently from the way we do. In terms of colors, spatial frequency, & everything else. Every eye is different.  Questions About Her Children’s Book & Passion For Illustration: 15: What attracted you to doing illustrations? As a child, I grew up in a very artistic family. My father was a singer, & my mother did a lot of artwork with us as children. This led to my love of art, I’ve always been an artist.  Even in my science work, I’ve always done my own illustrations whenever there was a need for them. I always do hand-drawn illustrations, I prefer them to computers. 16: What is your favorite thing to illustrate? Growing up on a farm, my favorite thing to illustrate was horses. Now I like illustrating just about anything. 17: How did you get the idea for your children’s book? For years, my children were bugging me to write a children’s book. I was busy for years until the Pandemic hit in 2020. I had just lost my funding for the laboratory, & everything fell perfectly into place.  Being home while my children were home was a blessing, if I had been forced to also run a laboratory, it would have been very, very difficult. I just used that time, I wrote primarily in the early morning hours before the children got up. I love writing, & the book sort of wrote itself in a way. 18: What is the story of Scholle und Timm - Unterwegs mit Janko? My children are very particular about the kinds of books they like, & don't enjoy books that are too gripping. They both enjoy books like Pippy Longstocking that are calm & pleasant, yet still have a storyline.  They were very specific about what they wanted; it had to have dogs, it had to have a farm & farm animals, & it had to have a veterinarian. So I pulled that all together for the book. The story revolves around a family who lives on a farm when this dog suddenly appears. The dog had been hit by a car so take him in & keep him. They do a lot of dog training & agility training with him, & he ends up being such a wonderful pet to them. 19: What are your plans for the remaining books in the trilogy? The second book is written but, I haven’t found time to edit it for publishing. I already have my plans for the third book, however I am quite busy right now. It’ll get done eventually, I’m hoping to finish at least 3 of them, but, I could keep going too. I’ll see!  This was primarily for my children, it wasn’t something I did for my career or anything.  Questions About Her Personally: 21: How did you get the idea to keep chickens? We’ve always had chickens, we’re vegetarian so we don’t have chickens for meat eating. Love the eggs, it's nice having the chickens around. My dogs are good with the chickens as well.  My neighbors are very appreciative of them as well, they get eggs every now & then.  22: Do the chickens influence your illustrations at all? Yes, they do! I love drawing animals. I think if there is going to be a chicken involved in one of the chapters of the next book, there will be a chicken illustration.  Directories / Credits https://lydiamaethger.com/english/ Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast StemScribe Our Loyal Patrons Ms. Paloma Rodriguez Ochoa

The Dugong Of The Isle Of Pines, New Caledonia, French Territory (Dugong Dugon) This month’s article series will discuss the Isle Of Pines, belonging to the French territory known as New Caledonia. New Caledonia, is in the South Pacific just north of Brisbane, Australia. It is south of the country of Vanuatu, with its capital being “Noumea”. The Isle of Pines is south of mainland New Caledonia, & it has an approximate population of 2,000. It is approximately 26.91 nautical miles (30.967475 miles or 49.83732 kilometers) from mainland New Caledonia, 793.87 nautical miles (913.56928 miles or 1470.24724 kilometers) from Australia, & 3,784.67 nautical miles (4355.3204536 miles or 7009.20884 kilometers) from the mainland country of Malaysia. The island is famed for its beautiful coral reefs as it is surrounded by the New Caledonian Barrier Reef. It is also known for its beautiful forests of pine trees which contrast with the sea to make a beautiful landscape, which is the reason for its name. It is located in the commune of L'Île-des-Pins, which encompasses many islands, with The Isle of Pines being the largest. This Island has many interesting land, & marine flora, mainly due to its proximity to the New Caledonian Barrier Reef. Not only that, but the island has lush mangroves that directly connect lagoons & forests. The New Caledonian Barrier Reef attracts many strange & interesting species from around the globe, one of which is the Dugong. The Dugong is a strange species of large marine sirenian that looks vaguely like a manatee, however they are much different. Though they are distantly related to manatees, they are far closer to Stellers Sea cow. They are currently believed to be the direct descendants of the Stellers Sea cow. It is the only living member of its family, as all other species of its family were killed off. Dugongs are extremely large creatures that are enormous, yet they only eat marine plants. Though they may look frightening, they are perfectly harmless & the worst that they can do to somebody is damage their boat by going too close to the propeller. They are extremely curious creatures, & will most likely look you over if you get near them. They are extremely lazy, so you can most likely find a few of them napping in the afternoon in the lagoons. The Isle Of Pines is the place with the third largest population of dugongs in the world, which is why they can be seen so often around the Isle. In this article, we will discuss the Discovery of the Life Of the Dugong, The Mating Tactics, Procedures, Cycles, & Practices of the Dugong, The Distribution Of The Dugong, & Finally The Scientific Detailings Of The Dugong. With that being said, let us delve into this gentle beast of a creature.  The Discovery & The Life Of The Dugong  The dugong was first described in 1765 in a novel called “Histoire Naturelle”, however, it was officially classified in taxonomic terms by Otto Friedrich Müller, a Danish naturalist, taxonomist, & scientific illustrator. It is unknown how he first heard of it, however it can only be assumed it was by returning sailors. It was officially classified in 1776 under the name Trichechus Dugon. Both Sexes in Dugongs will usually grow a maximum length of 13 feet long. Dugongs also weigh a maximum weight of 595 pounds, which does not differ between sexes usually. Females tend to outweigh males by a small margin, & measure longer than males by a small margin, which means they do display a small amount of sexual dimorphism. They have a life span of 70 years usually, & this does not differ between sexes. The oldest living Dugong was approximately 73 years, old & was female. Dugongs are Sirenians, meaning that they are sea cows. Sea cows, of all the ungulates, are hypothesized to be the least intelligent. Of all mammals, the manatees & dugongs have the lowest brain-to-body mass ratio. Since there are very few other ways to measure intellect, they are most likely the most simple-minded of all ungulates. Although dugong's diets are extremely poor as they are vegetarians, so there may be a correlation between their diet & their brain size. Sirenians have existed since the Eocene or 50 million years ago, from 4-legged ungulates, similar to Pakicetus. They did not diversify into the species we now know until the Oligocene epoch,& Miocene epoch. The dugongs are great communicators despite their small brains. They will often communicate through clicks, barks, & various vocal sounds. Their clicks can be between 3 & 18 hertz, & up to 60 milliseconds long. They are very social creatures, & spend the majority of their lives in pairs, or alone. They do occasionally join herds, however they may go their entire lives with a herd. A herd can be up to 200 dugongs, all in one area. These herds are sometimes unstable though, & are prone to collapsing off into subgroups. It is uncommon to see herds as seagrass beds are not able to support a large group of dugongs for extended periods, due to there simply not being enough & there needing time for more seaweed to grow.  They are not territorial creatures in terms of land, but the males are territorial over females during mating season. They are actively being observed by scientists. They also have been captured as a species before, & there are a total of only 3 dugongs kept in aquariums worldwide. Additionally, they are not aggressive towards humans at all, but occasionally they may accidentally bump into humans, & due to their massive size, they may bruise the person on accident or capsize their vessel. They truthfully are not aggressive creatures, & are gentle behemoths. They are semi-migratory creatures & will migrate approximately 150 to 500 miles in search of food, but will generally stay in the same area their entire lives. The dugong swims by throwing its tail in an up & down motion to propel, & steering with their flippers. They are also able to propel with their flippers, though they don’t do that very often. Their average speed is approximately 6.21371 miles per hour (9.999996906 kilometers per hour). Dugongs don’t sleep in the general way we think of it, they simply close their eyes halfway, & they sleep on the bottom of the sea to avoid predators. Because they do breathe air because they are mammals, they are only able to slip in short bursts before getting breaths. They are occasionally the victim of shark attacks, & killer whale attacks, because they are large & make good eating, but their size also puts them at an advantage. Due to how massive they are, sharks are often not able to consume them properly due to the constraints of the jaw. They are unfortunately extremely susceptible to boat accidents, as they will approach vessels out of curiosity & which will cause them to be struck by the hull or the propeller of the vessel. They eat only consume oceanic vegetation, & cannot consume meat. They are not cannibalistic in any way, shape, or form. They are not strictly nocturnal hunters, & they will consume food both day & night. They consume on average 30.00000968 kilograms (66.1387 pounds) of seaweed in one day. Dividing the average weight by the average amount of food they eat per day, they need approximately 0.111157479 pounds of seaweed, per pound of dugong. They locate food by using the bristles on their snout to help find it. Their metabolism is extremely slow because they move slowly, & are rather sedentary creatures. The Dugong is a large animal, greyish brown, with a flattened fluked tail, like that of a dolphin. Their skin may change depending on the age of the They are distinct in that they have no dorsal fin, & paddle-like flippers with distinctive down-turned snout. Compared to a manatee, it is obvious that it is a dugong due to their snouts being so flat, & due to their lips hanging off the side of their snout, similar to a bloodhound. They also have a distinct shape, unlike manatees, which are very blob-like. They also have small tusks which protrude from their snout occasionally. The IUCN Red List states that they are vulnerable to extinction, which makes them classified as vulnerable.  The Mating Tactics, Procedures, Cycles, & Practices Of The Dugong Dugongs breed via sexual reproduction, & cannot breed via asexual reproduction. They are not monogamous creatures & mate with various creatures throughout their lives. Their official mating system is classified as polyandrous. They are also not hermaphroditic in any way, & cannot change sexes, though genetic anomalies can occur in which a dugong is intersex. Dugongs sexually mature at 6 years for females, & up to 12 years for males. The gestation period for a dugong is approximately 12 months or one calendar year. However, it can be up to 14 months, depending on the dugong. It is unknown what age a dugong is most fertile at for either sex. This species has no specific breeding month, & mating is a year-round event. This species does lactate, & the females will nurse the calves while they are young. They will give birth every 2.5 to 7 years, & they have no upper limit on what age they can give birth. However, after the sixth calf, a female usually stops having babies. They only give birth to one calf at a time due to how large a calf is, & virtually never have twins.    The exact mating ritual in dugongs does differ depending on the exact location, so for this article, we will be discussing specifically the mating ritual most common in Australia & Oceania. To breed, they will all gather in a massive group called a lek, where the males will compete for mates. The males will compete in sparring, & various other aggressive activities to attract the females. The males will do their best to defend this lek territory & be the toughest dugong. After this, the first stage of the actual ritual will occur, this is known as the following stage. This is a stage in which a group of 5 to 10 males will follow a singular female around. After this comes the fighting stage, in which the males will all fight each other, lunge at one another, & thrash their tails at one another. After this phase, the mounting stage will occur. This stage is the stage in which copulation occurs. What will happen is that a male will mount the female from below, & the other males will all try to reach that position. Several males will mount the female during this time. Once the mating ritual is completed, the father will swim off, never to be seen again. The testicles of the male are not located externally, so this complicates breeding slightly. After the gestational period is over, the mother will live-birth one calf. At birth, calves average 66.1387 pounds (30.00000968 kilograms), & 3.93701 feet (1.200000648 meters) long. Additionally, the skin of the calf will be a pale cream color.  Calves will nurse from their mothers until 18 months, at which time they will begin consuming solid foods. They will continue to nurse from their mother until after they begin consuming solid foods. Calves can often be seen riding on their mother's backs, as mothers cannot have their children stray far. The calves will mature at 5 to 12 years, after which the calves will go off to have children of their own.  The Distribution Of The Dugong  Dugongs are found in the coastal & warm waters of the Indian Ocean, & the Western Pacific. They are found on the coast of Australia, throughout Oceania, & on the west coast of Africa, as well as the northern coast of Madagascar. They are also found on the western coast of India, but surprisingly not on the eastern coast of India. Strangely enough, it is also found in the Persian Gulf. These populations of Dugongs usually stay in the same areas their entire lives, which makes it so that different populations have different practices in things like mating. Usually, these practices don’t get spread across the different dugong populations, & stay in their enclosed location. There are no dugongs in the Atlantic or anywhere up near Hawaii. They stay in coastal waters usually as these have the most seagrass for them to consume. Usually, they can be found at a depth of 33 feet (10.0584 meters), though they can travel as deep as 121 feet (36.8808 meters) while in search of deep-sea seagrasses, such as Halophila spinulosa (Fern Grass). Currently, dugongs are found in approximately 37 countries & territories. At this time they have no subspecies.  The Scientific Detailings Of The Dugong By far the most interesting thing about the Dugong would have to be their uniquely shaped snout. Their snout is downturned at a sharp angle, making them look rather intimidating. The reason for this interesting shape is that this shape helps them uproot seagrass more easily. Dugongs are herbivores, which makes their teeth shape extremely strange. Their teeth are thick & dull, with a large split down the center of their tooth, with two large dents pointed inwards on the tooth. Dugongs have on average 36 teeth with 2 rows of teeth used for grinding up marine vegetation. These teeth are made of bone & are extremely tough. Plaque will form on them as well as they do on human teeth. They usually have their tusks pierced out of their face later in life, near the time they sexually mature. Only males will ever see their tusks, while females will be tusk-less. This species is a vertebrate, & has approximately 57 to 60 vertebrae. A dugong has an extremely wide ribcage as well as a straight spine into the tail. It also has finger bones that have been hidden underneath its thick skin. The specific population of dugongs near Australia & New Caledonia that we are discussing, has a big issue with parasites & disease. During the lifetime of a dugong, there are many different kinds & ways for a dugong to get an infection or a parasite. Once the dugong has a parasite, they are incredibly hard to get rid of. The most common kind of parasites in dugongs are helminths (Parasitic worms). Now these parasitic worms usually are looking to live in the gastrointestinal system of the Dugong, making it even harder for them to be gotten rid of because they can’t be flushed out. For this reason, approximately 30 percent of all the deaths since 1996 in the Australian & New Caledonian population of dugongs have been due to a parasite or infection from parasites. Unfortunately, we have no exact way of determining this, so 30 percent is not entirely exact. Their phylum is Chordata meaning that they developed these 5 characteristics all species under the phylum of Chordata develop 5 similar characteristics either In adulthood or as juveniles. The characteristics that they develop include, a notochord, dorsal hollow nerve cord, endostyle or thyroid, pharyngeal Slits, & a post-anal tail. Their class is Mammalia. Mammalia is classified by the production of milk by the mother for their child to nurse, a neocortex which is a region of the brain, some capacity for fur or hair, & three middle ear bones. There are currently 6,400 species categorized under the class of Mammalia. Mammalians also tend to be self-aware & able to use tools, no matter the species. Their order is Sirenia. This is an order that holds the majority of all manatees & dugongs as they are closely related. A defining characteristic of this order is the fact that they are all fully herbivorous & they all grow to be incredibly large. Their family is Trichechidae. All surviving species in this family are classified as manatee. There are several extinct genera classified under this family however they do not count for this. There are currently 8 species under this family. Their Family is Dugongidae, which has only 1 surviving species, the dugong. This family has many fossils under it as well, with several extinct genera. Their genus is Dugong, which they are the only species in. Their Binomial name is Dugong Dugon.  Directories / Credits “Dugong Dugon” was Written by Unknown, & Published on an Unknown Date. Published By the Society for Mammal Mammalogy. Retrieval Date: June 19th 2023.  https://marinemammalscience.org/facts/dugong-dugon/ “Facts About Dugongs” Written by Unknown, Published at an Unknown Date. Published by World Wildlife. Retrieval Date: June 19th 2023.  https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/dugong “Dugong” Written by Unknown, Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Thai National Parks. Retrieval Date: June 19th 2023.  https://www.thainationalparks.com/species/dugong   “Morphology & Organ Weight Of Dugongs (Dugong Dugon) In Thai Waters” Written by Kajana Adulyanukosol, Phaothep Cherdsukjai, & Pantaruk Boukaew, January 2011. Published by Research Gate. Retrieval Date: June 19th 2023.  https://www.researchgate.net/publication/50390430_Morphology_and_organ_weight_of_dugongs_Dugong_dugon_in_Thai_waters “Natural History Of the Dugong Dugon”, Written by Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Center for Biological Diversity. Retrieval Date June 19th, 2023.  https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/mammals/Okinawa_dugong/natural_history.html “Dugong”, Written By Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published By The Great Barrier Reef Foundation. Retrieval Date: June 19th 2023. https://www.barrierreef.org/the-reef/animals/dugong-facts “Observations of the mating behavior in the dugong (Dugong Dugon)” Written by Anthony Preen, August 2006. Published By Research Gate. Retrieval Date: June 19th 2023.  https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230339484_Observations_of_mating_behavior_in_dugong_Dugon_dugon   “Dugong Dugon: dugong” Written By Nicole Macdonald, Unknown Date. Published by the Animal Diversity Web. Retrieval Date: June 19th, 2023 https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Dugong_dugon/ Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast StemScribe Our Loyal Patrons  Ms. Paloma Rodriguez Ochoa

Hello valued readers, The Persaud Foundation is pleased to announce that we have officially released our online marine biological course about Sea Turtles! This course can be found in the Online Courses tab on our website, & is 9 modules long. We are actively working on developing more educational courses, so please sign up to our mailing list to be notified about them. For any questions, please submit a form in the contact section of our website. We appreciate & value each of our readers, & thank them for their contributions to this newsletter. Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler The Marine Enthusiasts Podcast StemScribe Our Loyal Patrons Ms. Paloma Rodriguez Ochoa

The Documented History Of Nanumanga, Tuvalu In today's article, we shall discuss the history of Nanumanga. Nanumanga is also known as Nanumaga, however, for this article, we are referring to the island as Nanumanga. Unfortunately, Nanumanga does not have much of a traceable history, so please forgive us as this article may be shorter than previous history articles. For this introduction though, we will be giving the demographics of Nanumanga & Tuvalu. Nanumanga is an island in the South Pacific, it belongs to the country of Tuvalu. It has a very small population as it is only 1 square mile in total. There are approximately 491 people who inhabit the island. It is approximately 3556.56 Nautical / Marine Miles (4092.816154 miles or 6586.74912 kilometers) from mainland Asia, specifically the country of China. It is also approximately 1706.54 Nautical / Marine Miles (1963.851159 miles or 3160.51208 kilometers) from Australia. The island is known for its beautiful coral reefs & scuba diving experiences. The country of Tuvalu is most well known for being built on massive coral atolls, with a large percentage of their ocean having some presence of living coral. This attracts many other marine species which in turn diversifies the area. The area also has a quite favorable climate, with it being quite warm for the entire year. The oceanic temperature changes very slightly through the seasons, so this may attract species that require lots of prey as prey will be available year-round. Approximately 491 people inhabit the island of Nanumanga. With the size of the island, this is approximately 420 people per square mile. It is currently somewhat unclear what the highest elevation on the island is, however, it is clear that the highest point in Tuvalu is not on the island of Nanumanga. Likely, the highest elevated area of Nanumanga is somewhere in the mangrove area, as it extends up to 12 meters (39.3701) above sea level, from what is currently known. In this article, we will discuss the discovery & documented history of the island known as Nanumanga, The known aboriginals of the Nanumanga, the most destructive man caused & natural disasters that have affected Tuvalu & finally a segment on the economy of Tuvalu. With that being said, let us delve into the interesting atoll paradise.  The Documented History Of Nanumanga, Tuvalu Before Colonization  The first people known as Tuvalu, were the Polynesians. The Polynesians came from Taiwan, most likely through the region of Melanesia. It is theorized that the Polynesians arrived approximately 3,000 years ago. However, there is some evidence of fire in Nanumangan caves suggests human activity Polynesians on this island, have been documented to have built canoes to travel to each island of Tuvalu. Eight of the nine islands of Tuvalu were constantly inhabited, which is where the name Tuvalu comes from. Tuvalu means “eight standing together” which refers to the islands. Not much is known about the history of Nanumanga itself other than the possibility of cave people living in Nanumangan cave.  After Colonization  16th Century History of Nanumanga  Tuvalu was described first by some sailors on a voyage by Europeans. They first spotted the island of Nui, which is approximately 87 miles from Nanumanga. It was seen on the 16th of January, 1568. This is all the behavior of Nanumanga in this century.  17th Century History Of Nanumanga No activity related to Nanumanga took place in this century.  18th Century History of Nanumanga There is no documented historical record of any sailors going near or past Nanumanga in this century.  19th Century History Of Nanumanga Nanumanga was finally first seen by Louis Isidore Duperrey who was captain of the ship La Coquille. He sailed past it during his circumnavigation voyage of the earth in May of 1824. This voyage lasted from 1822-1825. A United States chartered ship for exploration visited the island in the year 1841. A successful trader, & writer arose in Nanumanga a few decades later. He went by the name of Louis Blecke, working with the liver pool firm “John S. de Wolf & Co.”. He worked with them from April 1880 until the trading station was destroyed later that same year in a cyclone. After the destruction of the station, he rose once again to trader-dom on the nearby island of Nukufetau. He wrote “The Rangers of Tia Kau”. This work of his entails a shark attack that took place between the islands of Nanumea & Nanumanga. During the European age of exploration in the Tuvaluan in the late 19th century, Nanumanga was not visited as much as the other islands. It is not exactly clear when the first census of Nanumanga was conducted, but records indicate that it was first in 1860. The population of Nanumanga was from the years of 1860 to 1900 approximately 300-335 people.  20th Century History Of Nanumanga The first post office in Nanumanga called the “Nanumanga Post Office” was opened in the year 1925. In the year 1986, many flooded caves around the island became known. For this, it became a spectacle to many European & American geologists. When the caves were explored, they found some evidence for what remains were argued to be the remains of fire by prehistoric inhabitants.  The Aboriginals Of Nanumanga   The Native Polynesians Of Nanumanga The Polynesians were a sea-migrating group of people who dominated Oceania before the Europeans came. They would migrate by sea & take over each island. They most likely originated in Taiwan or Vietnam. They had their languages that were, unfortunately, completely lost to time. They developed the majority of their languages between 3,000 & 1,000 B.C. They had their Polynesian mythology. This religion is still practiced by some Polynesian tribes to this day. This mythology is meant to recount ancient times & the adventures of their gods, which are known as Atua. Their religion also involves traditional tattooing. One of the most interesting of their Atua is the atua known as Tāne Mahuta. Tāne Mahuta is the creator of all life, the Sky father, & the earth mother. Tāne Mahuta is male in traditional mythology. He may also be known as Tāne-nui-a-rangi. The Polynesians would often fish around the island & effectively have a system of trade with the fish. They most often caught Tuna & it seems that Tuna was incredibly high value. The ancient Polynesians would cultivate Taro, sweet potato, banana, coconut, & breadfruit. This along with seafood & a few other meats would compose an ancient Polynesian diet. They made canoes from the trees, these canoes were what are now known as dugout canoes. They would make these by removing the wood from the center of a large tree but leaving the bottom & the sides intact. They also had a practice in which they would bind 2 canoes together, which made way for the double-hulled sailing canoe. They also developed their navigational system. This system was developed to utilize the stars & the clouds to guide them. The Polynesians from this area most likely migrated from Taiwan to Papua New Guinea, Then from Papua New Guinea to Vanuatu, then to Samoa, & finally to Tuvalu. However, they did not just come from Taiwan. There is dual evidence that suggests they came from both Asia & Melanesia. Melanesia is a region of Oceania just southwest of Polynesia. Also, it is believed that people from Kiribati in Micronesia may have migrated to the northernmost Tuvaluan island of Nui & vice versa. Tuvalu is also believed to play a significant role in west-to-east expansion in Polynesia due to its placement. Overall, Polynesians migrated throughout Oceania & to southern parts of Asia. They migrated in a pattern that is kin to a triangle. This pattern is now officially known as the Polynesian Triangle. However, it will never truly be known the exact way they dispersed. It seems they also were a very social society, as they would often have many festivals & celebrations.  Tuvaluan Mythology  Each island of Tuvalu has its unique mythological explanation for its ancestors, for example, on the island of Nanumea the founding ancestor is said to be from Tonga. This ancestor was also named Tefolaha & was part human, part spirit of Tonga. On Nanumanga the main story of the founding ancestor is depicted as being as being in the shape of a sea serpent who originated from Fiji. This spirit's name was Tepuhi. This is the predominant one, there are other stories told that explain the founding ancestor. Those other stories usually state that the founding ancestors came from Tonga & Samoa. Very little else is known about the main founding ancestral myth of Tepuhi. There is one story that all the islands seem to agree upon, this is the myth of the Pusi mo te Ali, or the eel & the flounder. This is the myth that the state created the 9 Tuvaluan islands. Te Ali who is the flounder, is believed to be the one who created the atoll islands & islets of Tuvalu. Te Pusi who is the eel, is the model for coconut palm trees. These palm trees were incredibly important to the lives of the native Tuvaluans.  The Most Destructive Natural, & Man-Caused Disasters To Affect Tuvalu No. 1: 2011 Tuvaluan Drought The Tuvaluan drought of 2011 was a severe period of drought affecting Tuvalu. At this time, Tuvalu had approximately 50,000 people, all of which were affected. A state of emergency was declared by the Tuvaluan government on September 28th, 2011. This was due to the result of a La Niña event. A La Niña event is an event in which the ocean across the east equatorial area of the Pacific Ocean. It will cause the oceanic temperature to cool rapidly by 3-5° Celsius. This event usually lasts for a few months at a minimum. By October of 2011, the island had not received the normal rainfall in 6 months. Funafati was the most affected out of the inner islands & Nanumanga was the most affected of the outer islands. This drought also affected a staple crop of Tuvalu, Pulaka, which is also known as swamp taro. Additionally, during the drought freshwater was limited to 40 liters of water per household. This limited the ability to practice proper hygiene, so skin diseases & skin infections were rampant.  No. 2: The Sinking Of Tuvalu Tuvalu is, unfortunately, sinking. The islands of Tuvalu are extremely low-laying, with the highest elevation being 15 meters high. The ocean around the island is rising very slowly. The effects of this are already being seen in that during high tide the capital of Tuvalu is 40% underwater. Within the next 100 years, it is predicted that Tuvalu will no longer be habitable at all. This is a tragedy in itself.  The Economic State Of Tuvalu  Tuvalu’s economy is rather stable. In Tuvalu, the primary currency is the Tuvaluan Dollar. This currency does not have dollar notes, but rather coins. These coins are in denominations of this currency 5 cents, 10 cents, 20 cents, 50 cents, & 1 dollar. The unofficial symbol of this currency is TVD. The exchange rate on this is 1 U.S.D equals 1.5037218 Tuvaluan dollars. This is also used alongside the Australian dollar. Their current nominal GDP is 0.074 Billion Dollars. Their GDP per capita is currently 4,154.475$ U.S.D. Their current main economic output is through maritime transport, & fishing. A large proportion of their income also comes from the sale of their domain name which is “.tv”.  Directories / Credits https://placeandsee.com/wiki/nanumanga https://placeandsee.com/wiki/tuvalu ReliefWebhttps:// reliefweb.int › disaster › dr-2...Pacific Drought - Sep 2011 Strategic Partnerships  Reel Guppy Outdoors  SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcasts StemScribe Our Loyal Patrons Ms. Ochoa