Seabird

Commercial fishing has rapidly depleted many of the ocean’s resources. Herring are one species of fish that have been harvested to the brink of extinction in the last century. In the mid-1900s herring were in high demand in the food industry [1]. Millions of pounds of herring were harvested from the ocean in the last century. These massive harvesting totals took its toll on the population over time. Phil Levin, a marine ecologist, recently remarked that throughout the Pacific, “what you see is a…

flows further and further. And if the oil reaches the beach area or the fragile coastal lines, the whole sea would be polluted (“One Green Planet”, Madison Montgomery). The chemical dispersant may also prevent mammals like birds from death. Some seabirds die by diving into the sea, because they don’t notice the oil. Using the dispersant is faster than any techniques, and if they act fast enough to spray dispersants, the chemical material called petroleum with a break down the oil quicker than…

This installment of Birds and Brews takes me on one of my regular work trips to Los Angeles, California. On this trip, I had some time to go to one of my favorite birding locations, Playa del Rey, just outside of the Los Angeles International Airport in El Segundo. This site is of interest to traveling birders because the airport is only a mile away. A short cab ride can put you in one of the best birding locations is the area. To start, I usually drive to Del Rey Lagoon Park and park in the…

development of tourist platforms and moorings (Lamb & Wellis, 2011). Tourist platforms play a main role in nutrient overloading and disease spread. Platforms are subject to seabird guano accumulations, which in turn, increases levels of nitrogen and phosphorus (Bosman & Hockey, 1986. As cited in Lamb & Wellis, 2011). The seabird guano is then washed…

oil being spilt along the Santa Barbara channel. After the spill, disturbing images were released and for weeks national attention focused on the spill. The spill had a significant impact on marine life in the channel, killing an estimated 3,500 seabirds, as well as marine animals such as dolphins, elephant seals, and sea lions. The Santa Barbara oil spill of 1969 directly and indirectly affected the people and sea life living near Santa Barbara coastal ecosystem. The Santa Barbara oil spill…

RESEARCH QUESTION: “What are the negative impacts of tourism on the Great Barrier Reef and what conservation strategies/methods have been implemented to reduce these negative impacts?” INTRODUCTION: Stretching over 3000km along Australia’s eastern coastline, the Great Barrier is a national and global treasure which is classified as the world’s largest reef ecosystem. The Great Barrier Reef is a world heritage area, comprising the Great Barrier Reef Region in addition to Queensland internal…

When we were younger we were always told to clean up our messes. As we got older, it still holds true, for us individuals. But what about us as a collective, or the human race. Does that simple rule of cleaning up messes still hold true? Oceans take up a large portion of the earth’s surface, and were once seen as an all-encompassing, limitless reservoirs, quite able to bear the brunt of the human race. This, however, is not true as is becoming increasingly apparent. Over a few decades, humans…

cosmically huge member of the dolphin family, and there are about 5 various species of orcas in the oceans. These amazing creatures hunt in pods that consist of 6 to 40 killer whales. They hunt for gigantic fish, seal, and sea lion and frequently seabirds and mammals. The orca’s top speed is approximately 30 mph but can travel at 26 mph for long periods of time. It is normal for an orca to swim more than 50 miles without going up for air. Killer whales are massive animals that have an extremely…

WHERE DOES BLACKTIP REEF SHARK LIVE? Blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus) DESCRIPTION The blacktip reef shark not the same as blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus), though they possess similar attributes but also different species of shark. The blacktip reef shark is famous for the black tips on its fin which also makes it to be easily identified, also known as black wing shark. As its name says, blacktip reef shark's pectoral fin tip and dorsal fin are black, while the lower part…

Twelve Apostles The Twelve Apostles are lime stone rocks which are standing in the sea. The Apostles were formed by erosion. They lie between Princetown and Port Campbell in the Twelve Apostles Marine National Park, in the Southern Ocean on the coastline of Victoria. It is also bordered to the Port Campbell National Park. It's probably the most photographed attraction in Australia. It was called ''The Sow and Pigs'' and ''Muttonbird Island''. These names were noted on the map which was used…